Growing Pains
by DayDreamsAndStarLights
Summary: AU high school. Growing up can be a pain, but life is full of lessons to learn, hurdles to over come and trails and tribulations that just keep knocking you down. What to do when you find yourself in love and tormented by your peers, but mostly how to live a full and happy life. This is Tony Stark's story, his life lessons, all the pains and joys of growing up and falling in love.
1. Just Like Glass

Disclaimer: I do not own Avengers, all characters and likeness belong to Marvel and Stan Lee, I also do not own any songs used or mentioned.

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse and neglect, coarse language, sexual situations, homosexuality and homophobia. School-yard bullying ranging from verbal to physical, mentions of suicide and/or suicidal thoughts, mentions of alcohol abuse, and relations between a teacher and student. Also contains inappropriate jokes, not to be taken seriously, mentions of character death, attempted rape, and drug use.

A/N: Okay, So first this is just for fun, I'm having a lot of fun writing it, and I'm really happy with how it's turning out. I haven't posted anything on this site for… Oh geez, like 10 years, I'm out of practice, so it may seem a bit choppy, but I hope you enjoy it, if you don't; well no hard feelings ^ ^ there's a lot of OOC-ness so you got to just go with it for a while here.

This takes place in high school so they all haven't come into their own just yet. First chapter is a bit short, the others will be a tad longer, just to give you guy's a head's up; I'm what my writer's craft teacher called, a descriptive writer, so if the dialogue doesn't kick in for a while, my apologies.

**Chapter 1: Just Like Glass.**

There was a quote he read once, it went something like "Life is like a movie, if you got to the middle of it, and it's sucked so far, than it's probably not going to get any better, none would blame you for walking out early".

He didn't remember where he'd read it, on the internet somewhere most likely, but it was the thought of it that was rolling around inside his head as he made his way into the cemetery.

The short, slightly heavy teen found his way to a quiet grave, no other soul in sight save for the caretaker off in the distance plowing the walkways. The grave he came too was out of the way, covered in snow from last night's storm, and oddly looking sad and lonely.

The man buried there had no family to come pay their respects, and his co-workers were not close enough to him to warrant a visit beyond the initial burial, only the teen ever came to visit the lonely grave, dutifully placing a beautiful bouquet arrangement of white chrysanthemums, hydrangeas, and yellow roses, the traditional offering to the dead, gratitude, and deep friendship.

Pushing his overly large and thick framed glasses up his nose, and pulling his coat tighter to his body to stave off the chill of the crisp January air, the teen cleared his throat and after a moment of respectful silence began to speak.

"Hey Jarvis, it's me; Tony. So I start second semester tomorrow, first term was, well it wasn't pleasant. Selfishly, I wish you were here just so I could have someone to talk to about it, but then that's kind of silly because I can easily come here and talk to you."

Tony sighed softly, "truth is Jarvis, I hate high school, I thought it would be different you know? People from different schools, people that wouldn't know me, I honestly believed I could make friends this time around."

Tony shuffled his foot against the ground, kicking up the powdery substance, "they hate me, I can't help that I'm smarter than the majority of them, hell I'm more intelligent than the teachers, I get carried away sometimes I can't help but correct them!"

Uncaring about the snow, or the cold walk home waiting for him, he sat down on the ground in front of the grave belonging to Jarvis, "you should hear what they call me; round pound, Tony the nark, Okay one time I may have mentioned to a teacher what those guys were planning on doing to the founder's statue! It's awful Jarvis, they write messages on my locker, and they steal my bag when I'm not looking, they sabotage my experiments, and the list just goes on."

Another soft sigh, "Truthfully Jarvis, I wish you were because I miss you. Howard's drinking is getting worse, he's the epitome of losing himself at the bottom of a bottle, I haven't seen Maria since Christmas and that was only for the dinner party Howard threw for Stark Industries. Sometimes I think she forgets that I exist, Howard only remembers when he needs a punching bag, he broke my wrist last month, I get the cast off in to two more weeks, I told the hospital it happened working on a project for shop class."

A sniffle from the cold air, and a brief lull in the one-sided conversation, "I never told you did I, you should see Steve now, you remember me telling you about him? I think I've carried a torch for that guy since 7th grade! He used to be this short skinny kid, a good breeze could knock him over, but he's really growing into himself though. He must have grown at least half a foot, and he's starting to buff up! How did that even happen? How does a person go from a 60 pound asthmatic to a 150 pound football player in one summer? Someone should make a poster with him in it, 'puberty… Done right'" a small chuckle.

"God, I miss you so much Jarvis, things were so much better when you were still here, you of all people shouldn't have gone out like that, and you were a great man Jarvis, you still are. Anyway, I should leave now, I'll come back same time next week, take care Jarvis."

Tony stood, and began the long, cold walk home; it took a little over an hour for him to reach the massive house that the Stark's lived in, opening the front door and being greeted by the new family butler.

Tony didn't like him all that much; sure the guy did his job well, catered to the needs of the house hold and was incredibly efficient in doing so, but the man was never going to be Jarvis, and was never going to replace him.

Tony headed to the kitchen in search of hot chocolate to warm him from his walk in the snow, he'd just set the kettle to boil when his father walked into the room, "eating again? You should learn when to put the fork down Anthony."

Tony sighed softly, keeping his casted arm tucked carefully to his side, learning long ago that Howard would automatically go for a pre-existing weak spot.

"I'm not eating, just getting some hot chocolate." He muttered quietly in reply, Howard snorted, "yep chocolate and sugar that's exactly what you need, maybe for your birthday this year I'll get you liposuction, get rid of that midsection of yours, maybe then someone will actually look twice at you."

The words were harsh, and Tony shouldn't have been used to them, but he was, barely 2 in the afternoon and Howard was already into the cognac, the words were especially cruel today as the last time Tony had gotten a birthday present from his parents was when he was six, before Howard took to frustration drinking and then drunkenly taking those frustrations out on a vulnerable Tony.

Tony remained silent, knowing that was the best way to deal with his father when the man was looking for a fight, true enough after a few minutes of tense silence, Howard scoffed and left the kitchen, heading back to his study.

Tony stared down at his mug, the undissolved powder sitting in the bottom of the ceramic and decided he wasn't in the mood for hot chocolate anymore, instead he grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed up to his room to continue working on the project he started a month after Jarvis passed away.

"Oh!" the surprised voice stopped Tony as he stood on the landing at the top of the stairs, his mother Maria was standing at the entrance to the upstairs parlor-like room, where she spent most of her time entertaining friends or drinking glass after glass of wine.

Tony stared at his mother, frowning as she looked at him like she'd never seen him before. She was once a beautiful woman and still was, but she began to lack luster after her marriage began falling apart.

Howard had always wanted more than one child, wanted a few heirs to his empire to follow the expansion plans he had for Stark Industries, except Maria had never been able to conceive after Tony.

The doctors said it was her age, close to 34 when she had Tony, Howard said it was her bad genes, but every pregnancy after Tony just didn't pan out, they stopped trying and Howard blamed Maria, started treating her like a stranger and not like the woman he married.

Maria took to prescription medication to cope with her depression over the matter, and when she wasn't with friends she was often high off the meds and asleep, or drunk like her husband, taking her favor in wine instead of liquor.

"Good afternoon" Tony greeted, raising a curious brow at the surprised look on his mother's face, "hello?" she responded questioningly, Tony sighed at the glazed look in her eyes, and the flush to her cheeks.

"You shouldn't mix those meds with alcohol" he advised taking a step forward in preparation of heading to his room, "there's a reason they come with those warning labels" he continued, inwardly flinching at the still stunned look she gave him.

"I'm sorry dear; I think I'm hallucinating, who are you?" Tony gaped openly at his mother, "for real? Go to sleep Maria, you're high" Tony turned and headed to his room ignoring the soft gasp behind him.

This was his life, parents' neglectful alcoholics, bullied at school and the one person who understood him better than anyone else, dead from a brain aneurism. Tony heaved another sigh sitting down at his desk and picking up on the project where he'd left off, if he could pull this off, maybe he'd get the first glimmer of approval from his parents, and maybe he wouldn't be so lonely.

A/N: So there's the first chapter, told you it'd be a little on the short side, I'll try to update at least once a week, but reality will come calling and I'll have to answer that call T.T but hey, here's hoping you liked it.


	2. A Difference Between Bending & Breaking

A/N: So I decided to post the next chapter ahead of when I was originally going too, mostly because I have a random day off from work so I figured why not?

This chapter focuses a bit on how teachers can turn a blind eye to bullying, and even contribute to it, not having a support system can be especially trying when you're someone else's punching bag.

Not to say that teachers don't put a stop to bullying, because they do, let me stress that because I've had a hell of a time in high school and I had an awesome guidance counsellor that really looked out for me, but let's be honest sometimes certain things are over looked and even encouraged. Tony Angst ahead!

Sorry, I also neglected to mention that there are various OC's some mentioned, some introduced, they're not really that important, I just had to stick names in there for reasons needed to make the story come together.

**Chapter 2: A Difference Between Breaking and Bending.**

It's a wonder he hadn't developed claustrophobia by now, Tony mused as he banged relentlessly on the door and yelling at the top of his lungs.

He'd been walking to fourth period which was literally only one door away, when he'd been hip chucked into the janitor's broom closet and locked in; according to his phone he'd been in the tiny space for just over ten minutes.

"Really guys, the joke is over, let me out!" Tony hollered not hearing any other sounds, the other students having hurried to their classes. Fourth period for Tony was AP Math, and the teacher hated him with a passion for always correcting him and proving him wrong.

Being late to math was not an option for Tony, and would be one of the worst things he could possibly do on Block B weeks, "let me out!" he yelled again banging on the door harder, finally footsteps sounded and stopped right in front of the jammed door.

The tall tale click of the outer lock turning and the door swung open to reveal Tony's math teacher, "Mr. Stark, I should say this is a surprise finding you in the closet, but somehow I'm not that surprised."

Tony frowned as he stepped out into the hall, "what is that supposed to mean?" he asked, a tone of disdain in his voice, he really didn't like Mr. Denway, "exactly what it sounds like, get to class now." Tony subtly rolled his eyes and headed to the room next door.

He took his seat amongst the giggles and snickers of his classmates, staring down at his desk top and feeling the back of his neck heat up in embarrassment.

"Finally out of the closet Stark?" a jeering voice came from behind him, "if that's supposed to be some witty gay joke, you failed." Tony snapped back, flinching when an eraser hit the back of his head. "Now that Mr. Stark's shouting has stopped disrupting the lesson, shall we continue?" Mr. Denway announced stepping back into the room.

"Wait! You knew I was in there this entire time and you only just let me out now?" Tony asked, unable to stop himself, Mr. Denway fixed him with a displeased look, "well I'd hate to have deprived you of the coming out experience Mr. Stark, that's one detention for your tardiness, and another detention for your outburst, care to add another?"

Tony bit his lip so hard he could taste the tang of blood, "no sir" he grunted ignoring the laughter of the class.

Tony forced himself, no matter how painful it was, not to speak up in class today, remaining silent and completing his work, he was succeeding until a balled up piece of paper landed on his desk. Don't look at it Tony, just flick it to the floor and pretend you never saw it, he told himself sternly.

A pang of another eraser being thrown at him made him quietly groan, they weren't going to stop until he looked at the damn paper. Sighing softly to himself he unrolled the offending object and looked down at it, immediately feeling the familiar sting of tears, but they never fell, he'd never let them fall.

The paper was of a drawing, crudely done but unmistakably him, coming out of the janitor's closet wearing a feathered boa and gesturing to an unseen crowd in an overly flamboyant way. A small speech bubble above his head proclaimed 'I'm coming out, I want the world to know, got to let it show' lyrics to an old song whose name he couldn't remember but had heard before, and one he was nearly positive meant just being yourself.

Tony had never been bothered by sexuality before, and wouldn't say he was homosexual, but wouldn't say he was straight, he didn't believe in labels, just believed in love, and was never afraid to admit his beliefs and his support of the LGBTQ community by wearing one of those rainbow colored LGBT rubber bracelets.

Of course the whole school had took his wearing of the bracelet as his being full on gay and came at him hard for it, homophobia was still a big problem in certain parts, though New York was more tolerable than some places, there was still a fair share of discrimination.

Tony sighed again and rolled the paper back up, leaving it off to the side of the desk to be thrown out on his way to the fifth period. Another rolled up piece of paper landed on his desk, Tony reluctantly unrolled it this time feeling the blood drop from his face.

This one was a picture of Tony daydreaming, the bubble above his character's head was a distinct drawing of Steve Rogers, the picture was captioned; 'I know'. Tony swallowed thickly, and covertly glanced around the room looking for any sign of the person who'd drawn it.

No one looked out of the ordinary, and seeing as how he sat at the far side of the room with the wall to his right, it left a number of suspects to his left, how the fuck could they have known? Tony thought frantically, I've never once hinted that I may like him, hell I've never even spoken more than two words to him that weren't thanks and goodbye.

Tony breathed deeply as he discarded the drawing beside the other one, feeling his palms getting sweaty and heart rate speeding up, the sign of an impending panic attack, just relax Tony, he told himself, maybe it was just someone playing a cruel joke, trying to psych him out and get him worked up.

Tony felt sick, nauseous like he was about to throw up, he swallowed thickly again, trying to get the thin saliva taste that usually happened right before vomiting out of his mouth. Its fine, it's okay, so someone knows, not a big deal, I'm not ashamed of it; I have nothing to worry about. Tony thought, near frantically eyes flickering to the clock which showed a final 5 minutes in the lesson.

Tony made a sound of relief as the bell rang, he waited until he was the last one to clear the room, ripping up the drawings and disposing of half of them in the math's room garbage, and the other half of the shredded pictures in the hallway's garbage.

He kept his head ducked down as he hurried to his last class, having sixth period spare. Fifth period was undoubtedly his favorite class, it was a shop class where he was able to pull cars apart and rebuild them, or work on solo projects involving forms of engineering.

It was the one class he felt remotely comfortable in, today it ended up going by too fast for his liking and before he knew it the bell was ringing.

Tony tiredly packed away his things and trudged grudgingly to the math office in search of Mr. Denway, "good to see you can at least make your detention on time" Mr. Denway spoke callously, "you're to sit in here for the next hour, Mrs. Caster is going to keep an eye on you, and you'll be writing me a 500 word essay on why punctuality is important."

Tony nodded not speaking as he sat down at an empty desk in the math's department, digging paper and a pen from his bag, and proceeding to write, "your detention tomorrow Mr. Stark will consist of the same thing, a 500 word essay on why not disrupting a learning environment is important, when you're finished leave them on my desk." Mr. Denway instructed turning and leaving the room.

Tony kept writing ignoring the pitying gaze of Mrs. Caster, she was an older teacher, and one that people disrespected and walked over and she was probably the only adult in the school that kept on eye out for Tony, interrupting the bullying when she saw it.

He finally finished with three minutes to spare until last bell placing his completed essay on Denway's desk and nodding goodbye to Mrs. Caster before heading to his locker quickly, ducking and dodging other students that flooded the halls.

Tony deftly spun the dial on his lock, clicking it open and pulling the locker door lever, ignoring the words Stark the Nark scratched onto the pale green surface.

He was surprised when a folded piece of paper dropped down onto the floor when he opened his locker, looking around the hall at students that weren't paying attention to him and socializing with their friends or hurrying to catch their buses, and frowned.

Who would put a note in his locker? Tony bent and picked up the seemingly harmless piece of folded paper, there was no writing on the outside of it and curiosity got the best of him and despite his better judgement he unfolded it.

What greeted him was another drawing, crudely done mock fan art of himself drooling after an oblivious Steve Rogers, this time a message had been scrawled onto the upper right hand corner, 'did you honestly think you could hide this? Watch your back Stark.'

Tony took a deep breath, feeling his throat go scratchy and his stomach twist in nerves, okay, Tony thought as he shredded and discarded the drawing into the closest garbage bin, still not a big deal, I'm not ashamed of this, Tony quickly exchanged the books he'd need for homework and closed his locker door.

He headed out to the front of the school and climbed into the back of the car that picked him up and dropped him off, trying his best to ignore the over whelming feeling of impending disaster.

So someone definitely knows, he mused looking out the window and watching the New York scenery pass by, what's the worst that could happen? Oh, for those famous last words.

A/N: Well then, there's chapter 2, I'm still choppy at this; I just got back into writing so here's hoping it's decent enough.

Seems a bit harsh to have that teacher encourage leaving a student locked in a janitor's closet, I actually felt really bad writing that scene, I've been a victim of some intense bullying, so I'm trying to convey some of how I personally felt into Tony's experiences, don't know if I'm succeeding though, here's to giving it a shot.

The song mentioned in the drawing is I'm coming out by Diana Ross, and I hold no ownership to it, really catchy song if you haven't heard it. Until next time!


	3. The Joke Is On Me

A/N: I am such a dick! I felt so bad for doing this to Tony!

Please keep in mind that it's necessary, but really I had all the bad feels writing this. Also, Steve and Bucky are asshole-ish here at first, but hey they're teenagers in high school, and they will smarten up.

**Chapter 3: The Jokes' On Me.**

A couple of days later found Tony climbing out of the car and heading into the school building, as soon as he set foot across the threshold an uneasy feeling came over him.

Frowning, Tony looked up and instantly noticed the students in his immediate vicinity were staring at him in silence, some were hiding chuckles behind their hands, and few girls were whispering to each other, looking at him then laughing under toned to one another.

I don't like the look of this, Tony thought as he determinedly made his way to his locker to exchange books before first period.

Everywhere he went the other kids stopped and stared, whispered to each other, and some out right laughed, I think I'm being set up for a school wide prank, he thought apprehensively, he exchanged his books, not finding anything out of the ordinary with his locker or his belongings.

Sitting in first period did nothing to elevate the anxiety washing over him as kids in his class snickered behind his back and continued their elusive whispering.

The day slowly crawled by, more and more instances of kids laughing and staring at him happening, third period, a common lunch period, finally crawled round and at the sound of the bell Tony was up and out of the room.

He stopped by his locker to deposit his bag and grab his lunch heading sullenly to the cafeteria, normally he ate outside but seeing as how it was still in early February, he had no choice but to move to the cafeteria, he knew immediately something was wrong the moment he stepped into the large room.

A dead silence washed over the students in the cafeteria and Tony found himself being stared down, then at the turn of a hat they started laughing uproariously, finally someone pointed to the wall behind Tony he closed his eyes and slowly turned to face the music.

The sight that met him struck horror into his heart; it was a picture, taken back in October from football season on a cell phone, a picture where he could be clearly seen peeking around a corner of the lockers in the changing room just as Steve Rogers was shedding his sweat soaked under shirt.

It didn't take a genius to look at the picture and think that Tony had been spying on Steve in the locker room that day.

To make it worse, someone had manipulated the photo to draw a messy heart around picture Tony and picture Steve's head, and then wrote Stark wants Rogers' D! in large bubble letters at the top of the picture.

Tony dropped his lunch and sprinted from the room to the sound of his fellow student's laughter, he promptly hid himself in the boys bathroom on the fourth floor, it was damaged and no one went in there as it was out of the way and only had one working toilet and no working urinals.

He sat on the closed lid of the toilet in the one good stall and tried to calm himself down, at this point he didn't care about missing lunch, and knew without a doubt that he wouldn't be going to fourth period, he was too distraught to even think about it.

He wasn't embarrassed about his crush on Steve, but if the other guy had to find out about it, then this was the worst way Tony could think of it happening, how long had that picture been up there? It had to have been since this morning as people were already laughing at him as soon as he walked into the door.

It would also explain the somewhat pained look on Steve's face when they caught each other's eye in the hallway between classes, and if that picture had been up there for so long, then why hadn't any of the teachers taken it down?

Were they so petty that they wouldn't stop this kind of humiliation just because Tony corrected a few of their teaching methods?

Don't cry, Tony ordered himself harshly, it's not worth it, they're not worth it and they never will be, save your tears for the things that matter, like saying goodbye to Jarvis, Tony couldn't stop the choked sob from leaving his throat, or will away the sting in his eyes as tears slowly began to fall silently.

For the rest of lunch and all of fourth period Tony stayed curled on top of the toilet seat, silently crying to himself, he heard the bell signaling the start of fifth period and still made no move to leave the stall or the bathroom in general.

A few minutes after the bell rang, and students were inside their respective classrooms, the bath room door opened with a bang, Tony jumped on the seat and slapped his hands over his mouth to stop the noise of surprise.

"Come on Steve, it's fucking funny!" Tony inwardly groaned, James Barnes more commonly known as Bucky, was one of his biggest tormentors, they shared the same second period English class and it was the only time Bucky went after him, other times he was with Steve as they were best friends and grew up together, and Steve was known to hate bullies.

No one who liked Steve never bullied someone else in front of him, and to be honest the guy was kind of oblivious not see it happening.

"It's not funny Bucky, why would anyone do that? Sure, Stark's not the greatest guy in the world, and I certainly wasn't the greatest looking, and no one ever came after me like that." Steve's voice argued back.

"You're different Steve," Bucky commented, the sound of him leaning against the sinks echoing in the empty room, "different how?" Steve grunted, breathing a vaguely frustrated sigh.

"Does it matter?" Bucky asked raising a brow at his friend; Steve threw him a look, clearly stating that it did matter.

Bucky groaned, "Steve, look man, sure you used to be a pint sized little shit, but the difference is, Stark's fucking annoying, constantly flaunting that 'superior' intelligence over everyone else, fighting with the teachers, telling them they're wrong, the guy's just irritating, is it such a wonder that nobody likes him?"

Steve un-hunched his shoulders and sighed again, "I can understand if people don't like him, by why drag me into it?" Bucky made a comprehending sound, "oh I get it now, you're not overly mad about it being about Stark, you're just pissed because whoever posted that picture included you!"

Steve's silence was answer enough, "don't worry about it dude, everyone knows you're into chicks, especially after Barton's party last Friday" Bucky winked at his rapidly flushing friend, "so no one's going to think you're suddenly hot for obese little nerds" "Bucky" Steve said warningly.

Bucky scoffed, "I wasn't being mean Steve, you can't deny that Stark is on the chubby side, way on the chubby side, I wonder if he can even see his toes."

"Bucky man, that's not funny." Bucky laughed, "Then why are you smiling?" Steve wiped the tiny smile off his face, "I just don't think it was cool in general, humiliating someone like that, and using their feelings to do it, and why didn't any of the teachers take that picture down?"

Bucky shrugged, "teachers don't like Stark, not surprising they wouldn't do anything to help him when he constantly embarrasses them about their credentials, Steve, we've known each other since birth, it's just you and me in here, so let's be honest about this; you're mad because this person's joke involved you and…?"

Steve sighed, "I don't want him thinking that I'm interested in him because I'm not, I don't have anything against the LGBT community, but Stark is not what I'm into, I can agree, he's annoying he's been like that since we met in 7th grade, constantly picking fights with the teachers, not listening to authority, alienating everyone else because he's smarter than them, he doesn't realize that brains doesn't mean superiority, and I really don't like his glasses, I thought his family was rich? Can't he get a better pair?"

Bucky laughed loudly, "that's what I'm saying, honesty! Face it Steve, Stark grinds your gears just as much as he grinds everyone else's, the guy's a fucking tool!"

Steve tilted his head back and forth in thought, "he's just not my thing Bucky, I get the feeling that he'd be this overly clingy person and wouldn't give me a moment's peace, and talking to him would be a nightmare as I wouldn't understand anything he says, he'll probably use these big scientific words and expect me to know what he's talking about, and even if I was into guys, I wouldn't be able to handle that."

As Bucky laughed, Tony felt the rest of his world come tumbling down, nothing mattered anymore, he put his feet on the ground and unlocked the stall door, a small part of himself relishing the looks on Steve and Bucky's faces as he walked out, and left the bathroom, ignoring the frantic calls of Steve yelling his name behind him.

He'd just made it to the end of the hall and was about to enter the stair well when Steve caught up to him, Bucky lingering on the other end of the hallway, "Stark wait!" Steve grabbed hold of Tony's arm and jolted in surprise when Tony harshly pulled his arm out of Steve's grip.

"Don't fucking touch me" Tony snapped, not looking at Steve, keeping his face towards the door, "look man, about all that, I'm sorry, it sounded harsher than I meant it too." Steve hastily apologized, moving his arms to his side so Tony wouldn't feel threatened by him.

"You have no idea do you?" Tony asked, not really expecting an answer, "I'm not a pervert, I wasn't spying on you, I had detention that day from the gym teacher, I was ordered to go get the dirty jerseys from the locker rooms, I hate being in that room seeing as how the majority of the football team beats the shit out of me every chance they get!"

Tony's voice had risen with each word he spoke until he was yelling, "I heard the door open, so I hid. It was quiet so I thought the coast was clear, I looked around the corner just to be sure, and it's not my fault you were standing right in my line of sight!"

Steve grimaced, "I'm so sorry, I didn't think you were spying on me at all" he tried to explain, "you don't deny having a crush on me though?"

Tony snorted derisively, "I'm not some naive child you know" he said after a moment of silence and finally turning to face Steve, "I've never had fantasies where you'd find about my ill-placed feelings for you and it turning out that you reciprocated this entire time and everything falls into place and life turns out sunshine and daisies."

Tony let go of the door to the stair well and fully faced Steve, looking into those bright blue eyes he'd admired for long, "My whole life Rogers; has been worth nothing. I have no friends, parents who forget I exist, and the one person who gave a damn and meant anything to me at all died barely four months ago."

Tears were falling again, and Tony steadfastly ignored them, "What really kills me, is that I wanted to love you more than anything, but now I know there's no such thing as love, that's just a foolish pipe dream for hopeless people."

Steve opened his mouth to say something, but didn't get the chance as Tony continued, "I thought" Tony made a dismissing sound, "I believed you were different, you always said you hated bullies, didn't care where they were from, you were nice to me, nice to everyone, and I didn't think I was special the few times we spoke and you were being kind to me."

Tony took a deep breath, he stopped crying and unashamedly wiped his face with the sleeve of his sweater, drying the tear tracks, "I guess this is what a little kid feels like when they find out that the hero in their favorite movie is just a person in a costume, reciting words off a page, you're a lie Rogers. Under that nice-guy façade, you're just like everyone else."

Tony turned deftly on his heels and took off down the stairs, he went to his locker, cleaned everything out of it, called his driver and went home early, not caring about his missed classes, or the students whose paths he crossed and their laughter at his expense, guess the joke was on him after all.

As the car pulled out of the pick-up zone, and the school faded into the back ground, Tony made a silent promise to himself that he would never feel anything romantic towards someone again.

A/N: Okay so that little jab at actors/actresses, not to be taken seriously, I have a lot of respect for anyone who can get in front of a camera or on stage and act because I can't. The last play I was in was a nativity play back in '98… I was an angel and had one line ^ ^ I know there's more to acting than just wearing fancy clothes and reading from a script, so kudos to all you actors/actresses and aspiring actors, and actresses, job well done.

See what I mean when I said I was a dick? Can you imagine being Tony in that moment when he saw that picture? Poor Tony, don't worry Tony darling, things will get better!


	4. The Other Side

A/N: Okay, there's a lot of me rambling in this chapter, I'm so sorry, I needed a reflective chapter to show how choices effects individuals, so just bear with it, once these next two chapters (4 &amp; 5) are done, the story starts to pick up a bit, you'll find there will be more character interaction and development.

**Chapter 4: The Other Side.**

Steve Rogers had never felt more like a dick than he did in that moment where he stood helpless as Tony disappeared down the stairs, Bucky had come up to him a few seconds later as he stood stunned staring at the empty spot where Tony once stood.

He was telling Bucky the truth in the bathroom that he didn't find Tony to be a likeable person, but what he hadn't said was how much he did admire Tony.

Steve always saw Tony as a source of silent strength, unwavering in the face of the hostility that others leveled against him.

And Tony was brilliant, Steve always liked the science fairs they'd had to attend in middle school as Tony always came up with such amazing things to show case, Steve loved watching how Tony's projects worked, the amount of time and dedication that went into them and the ending results.

Steve sighed silently to himself as he passed by the row of lockers, the one on the end belonged to Tony, he knew that because he'd seen the other boy getting his things out of it, and the words Stark the Nark were still scratched onto the pale green surface.

No one knew who posted the picture in the cafeteria, just like no one knew or cared what happened to Tony; in fact many seemed glad to be rid of him.

Bucky had wanted honesty that day, a month ago in the bathroom; Steve had been honest, but not honest with himself. If he had been honest with himself, then he could admit that a small part of him did find Tony appealing, had found his intelligence, his dedication to his work, and love of science endearing.

Steve sat down at his desk in his art class, thinking back to the last things said between him and Tony, and wondered not for the first time, if Tony was right, was Steve just like everyone else?

It didn't take much effort for Tony to convince Howard that him moving to California was a good idea, he stated his case to Howard when the man was a little more sober than he usually was, saying that Howard wouldn't have to put up with him, he'd be out of sight and out of mind, and if he really wanted him too, he'd get a job to pay for his daily needs and Howard just foot the bill of the house's amenities.

Tony would clean up after himself, cook for himself, get to school and back himself, take care of his own laundry and groceries, and everything else in between. Howard had readily agreed, so Tony went, moving across the country to sunny California and enrolling in Malibu's Beach Field High school.

So far it was the greatest decision of Tony's life, he'd gotten a job at a coffee bar along the beach called Surf's up, he was on his own, with no oppressing forces around him and as a result began taking better care of himself.

His first couple of paychecks went to getting a set of new glasses, because hey Steve was right, those things _were_ ugly, and a year's supply of contact lenses.

Tony smiled widely as he looked back on the last month, he'd lost quite a bit of weight, he got along greatly with his co-workers and surprisingly loved his simple job, he kept himself in check with the teachers at his new school, if they said something wrong he would politely raise his hand and correct them.

He joined the engineering club and through them met the aviation club and as a result, a couple of weeks after transferring met his first friend aside from Jarvis.

James Rhodes wanted to join the military, wanted to be a fighter pilot, every man and the odd woman in his family had gone into service and it was in his blood to follow, it was his passion.

James was fairly popular at Beach Field, he had many friends, no enemies, sure he butted heads with the occasional person from time to time, but nothing serious enough to cause a fight, and he knew everyone in the freshman year at Beach Field, so it was a surprise to him when the engineering club, and the Aviation Club, of which he was a member, got together for their weekly debate about robotics and air travel, and saw a face he'd never seen before.

James was curious about the new kid, he'd heard of a transfer in but had yet to meet him, and this was obviously him, and he must have recently joined the engineering club as he wasn't at the meeting last week.

James had half his attention on the debate and the other half on the new kid, when the speakers said something that caught his full attention, "it would cause more drag!" the co-leader of the aviation club said heatedly.

"Actually, it would reduce drag. Plane designers found that retracting the wheels of a plane reduced drag, I think they found that out in the 40's during World War 2." James blinked in surprise as the new kid spoke up, bringing the debate to a halt.

"Oh right, everyone, this is Tony Stark, he's new here" the engineering club leader announced, a few hellos were called out and Tony gave a friendly wave of his hand.

The debate continued on, Tony voicing his opinion every now and then, making valid points and trying to ignore the pleased flush that rose up his neck and cheeks and the clubs awe of his knowledge and their impressed looks.

Another topic got brought up, a heated debate taking place "hey" James whispered to Tony, making him jump in surprise, "I'm James, James Rhodes, welcome to Beach Field" Tony smiled slowly, accepting the offered hand, "Tony Stark, and it's good to be here."

The meeting came to a close nearly an hour later, and the gathered students packed up their bags and one by one or in pairs left the meeting room.

"You doing anything right now?" James asked as he swung his bag over his shoulder, Tony gave him an apologetic look, "I'm working 5-9 tonight at Surf's up." James made an odd noise, "that's shitty, but hey it's Friday! If you're not too tired after your shift, want to come over and play some call of duty?"

Tony paused, momentarily stunned, "sure" he stuttered out, James grinned, "awesome bro, what's your number?" he asked removing his phone from his pocket and waiting, Tony recited his cell phone number, still feeling an odd sense of shock.

"Sweet deal" James said as he typed a quick message off, a few seconds later Tony's phone whistled letting him know of an incoming text. He withdrew it from his pocket, smiling at the ~Hey man, it's James, save my number!~ that flashed on his screen.

"Text me when you're done work, I'll let you know where I live!" James called as he left the room, Tony went to work that day in a great mood, the happiest he'd been since before Jarvis passed, and when his shift was over, had ended up going to James's house, playing a solid three hours of various video games.

"Oh, what was that?!" Tony yelled as James shot him, James laughed, "hey man you're the one that wanted to play versus, we should just team up and go after noobs, teach those little shit eaters what real gaming is," Tony laughed "you're so Rhodey!"

James paused the game and looked over at Tony, a small smirk on his face, "I think you just called me Rhodey," Tony frowned, "I think I did too, I meant to say grotty I guess Rhodey came out instead," James laughed, "that's cool man, I can dig it" Tony chuckled, "from now on, ye shall be dubbed, Sir Rhodey of bad ass gamedom."

They dissolved into loud laughter, resetting the game to team up and play against other teams, Tony was still grinning when he walked into his house at nearly 2 in the morning, moving away from New York was definitely the best thing he'd ever done for himself.

A/N: So much narration in this chapter! Sorry guys my bad, you'll find as the story goes on in future chapters, the narration tapers out a bit and more character interaction happens. I'm really glad you guys are liking this; it's a lovely feeling to see that people enjoy it, so thank you very much for sticking with it, you guys are the best! I can pretty much promise updates will definitely happen every Monday and Thursday, and occasionally a couple of more times a week if I get lucky and get some time to post.


	5. Unexpected Talents

A/N: I had nothing on my plate today, so early update, there will still be one tomorrow as promised ^ ^

There's a bit of a time skip here, so we're going from February to the end of June when school is just about done for summer, and after this chapter things start to pick up speed, so here's hoping you enjoy it.

Just to let you guys know, I am not a gymnast, I did some research for the sake of the story line, but I may have cocked a few things up.

**Chapter 5: Unexpected Talents.**

Tony had been living in California now for just over four months, in that time he and Rhodey had become the best of friends, sharing some classes together and terrorizing the engineer and aviation clubs, and driving the teachers insane with their constant talking.

Rhodey had taken to joining Tony on his runs and even introduced him to a gym where Tony was able to get guidance from trainers, he now looked vastly different from what he had in New York, no longer weighed down by emotional stress, and for once being truly happy.

He was still short for his age group, standing at a mere 5,6, with a messily styled shag of dark hair, and a tan giving him the complexion of lightly bronzed gold, he was well known in the school as a master of engineering, having many friends in the engineering club and outside of it, Tony was at long last truly happy.

"So feel like going?" Rhodey asked as he followed Tony down the counter top as the other boy stocked cups along the underside of the front counter, Tony was midway through his shift at Surf's up, an odd lull in customer flow allowing him the opportunity to chat with Rhodey for a few minutes while he stocked up in preparation for the next rush.

"I don't know Rhodey, just doesn't seem like my kind of thing." Rhodey had been trying to get Tony to agree to going to the beach bon fire that kids at their school had every summer, it was a massive party with tons of kids from different schools all attending.

"So come for a bit, test the waters, if you don't like it we can leave" Tony mulled the proposal over, "okay fine, but I'm taking off the moment I want too okay, and you're not allowed leaving me alone with people I don't know."

Rhodey laughed, "Done deal, you're going to love it, it's a real riot man" Tony rolled his eyes affectionately, "I'll have to take your word for it until I see for myself what the big deal is."

"Hey Tones!" Tony turned round to look at his supervisor, "Hey Jesse, need me to do something?" he asked placing the last of their cups in their proper place.

"One of our patio umbrellas is about to go wind surfing, mind running out and bricking it down again?" the slightly older woman asked, Tony nodded and headed for the open doors leading to the coffee bar's outside patio, Rhodey following him and still talking about the party.

Surf's up, was built on almost hill top like area, the main entrance faced the boardwalk while the back entrance had a patio deck with stairs leading down to the beaches, giving customers a two point entry access. The patio itself had a few tables with umbrellas to block the hot sun for those who chose to sit outside with their drinks or snacks.

"I just noticed that she calls you Tones" Rhodey commented as Tony shifted the slumping umbrella back into place, and resetting the bricks holding the base of it down, "I have no idea way, it's a two letter difference, she just swapped the Y for an S and added an E, actually I think she calls me that because I was singing in the back while putting away stock and she told me I could carry a tone." Tony chuckled, remembering the fright she'd given him when he turned around mid-belting out the lyrics to the Little Mermaid's Kiss the girl only to find her watching him.

Tony stepped back to inspect his work, making sure the umbrella wouldn't come loose again; he leant back on the wooden railing and suddenly gasped in shock when the wood cracked, and he tumbled over the side and down to the beach below, "Tony!" Rhodey yelled rushing over to the side where Tony had fallen.

It was a good 11 foot drop to the beach, Rhodey reached the edge of the patio in time to see Tony do an amazing midair back flip and land smoothly, and importantly, uninjured on his feet. "Oh Shit" Tony breathed standing still for a few seconds, "Tones are you okay!" Tony looked up to find Rhodey and Jesse, who'd come running at Rhodey's shout, standing on the patio above him, "I'm golden!" he called back up, "fine and dandy like sugar and candy!" Tony began to climb the stairs back up to the patio.

"How did you do that?" Rhodey asked as Jesse fussed over Tony making sure he wasn't hurt. "The flip man, I saw that, that was awesome." Tony shrugged helplessly, "I don't know, I just reacted." Rhodey gave him a thoughtful look, "and you're okay?" he asked concerned, Tony nodded, "I'm good, not hurt at all, just a little surprised."

"Okay boys," Jesse broke in flicking her blond hair out of her eyes, and tucking it back up under her visor, "Tones help me block this section off, and then you go home for the rest of the day, that must have been a scare, besides you only have two hours left in your shift and I have two extra people on tonight, we'll be fine so you go."

Tony nodded knowing better than to argue with her, Jesse could be really stubborn when she wanted to be, it took half an hour for them to block the damaged section off, and to collect the fallen pieces of wood from the beach, and the ten minutes it took for Tony to fill out and sign the accident report.

"You ever thought about taking up gymnastics?" Rhodey asked as they walked down the board walk heading to the bus stop. Tony shook his head, "no why would I? I'm not that flexible or co-ordinated" Rhodey stared at Tony for several long seconds, "shit are you for real?! You effortlessly and instinctually did a midair back flip and landed perfectly, with no damage done to yourself, you got a little natural skill there, you should honestly think about talking to Cathy at the gym, she runs the gymnastics there."

Tony sighed deeply, "Rhodey, I honestly don't think I have the dexterity to do gymnastics, not to mention gymnasts take years to build up their muscles and control, I mean, I only just got into shape, before walking up the stairs killed me, I don't think I can suddenly do hand springs."

The bus pulled up and the two friends boarded, swiping their student cards and finding seats, "I'm not saying you'll be perfect at it from the get go, I'm just saying you should look into it," Tony laughed softly, "one back flip that was a fluke and you want me to look into trying gymnastics."

"Can you do a hand stand?" Rhodey asked fixing Tony with a haughty look, Tony reluctantly nodded, "how about the splits?" Tony nodded again having discovered his ability to do the splits when he was mopping the kitchen floor and slipped on a particular wet patch, inadvertently doing a full front split, something that he'd been able to do ever since with only a small amount of discomfort.

"And we've played basketball man, I've seen you jump, you got some leg muscle on you, just ask about it, let Cathy show you some stuff and if you can do them, then stick with it." Tony groaned in mild annoyance, "you're not going to stop until I agree are you?" Rhodey smirked, "you know me so well honey bear" Tony cracked a small smile, "fine baby cakes, have it your way."

"Where did you end up going last night?" Rhodey asked as he walked up to Tony in the gym the next morning, "I wish you could tell me" Tony deadpanned breathlessly, Rhodey laughed, "What did you get drunk?" Tony shook his head as he continued his run on the treadmill.

"I only had two beers, I was nowhere near tipsy just one second I was standing beside the fire, the next a group of girls came and dragged me away, I honestly have no idea what was going on." Rhodey wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as he started up his own treadmill.

"Who were the girls?" he asked as the machine picked up from a light jog to a run, "they go to another school, I only remember two of their names, Alisha she was the one that dragged me off, and Katie, and I only remember her name because she's the reason Alisha dragged me off."

Rhodey laughed, breathing a little heavily, "trying to hook you two up?" he asked the beginnings of sounding winded in his voice, Tony shook his head as he went into cool down mode, slowing from a run to a fast walk, "nope, they saw my LGBTQ bracelet, wanted my advice, Katie wants to come out to her parents, doesn't know the best way to do it, figured I could help since I was wearing a support bracelet."

"What did you tell her?" Rhodey asked, side glancing Tony who stepped off his now motionless machine, "told her there's no easy way to do it, sometimes you have to come right out and say it, mind you I never told her that when Howard and Maria noticed my bracelet, that Howard beat my ass into next week and Maria drank herself asleep."

Rhodey was appalled when he found out what Tony's relationship with his parents was like, he'd taken it upon himself to invite Tony over more often for dinner, just to give the kid a good family experience. "Cathy just got in a few minutes ago, so I'm going to go talk to her now before you start riding my ass about it" Rhodey laughed loudly, "man you wish I'd ride your ass!" he called out jokingly, "every day of my life baby!" Tony called back as he knocked on the door of the staff office.

After his initial talk with Cathy she'd led him to the gym's padded room, it was large open space with lots of foam pits and gymnastic equipment, she asked him to show her what he could do, and he demonstrated his meager abilities, she hummed and showed him a few simple moves, which he attempted to do, it took a few tries for him to do a single flip, but after those first tries was able to do it well enough that Cathy was impressed.

"Well Tony, seems you've got some natural talent, gymnastics practice is three times a week, check the class schedule board, I know you work so come when you can, practice hard at it, and you could go pro."

Tony nodded surprised, he didn't think he was any good at all, but he could admit that it was fun; who would have ever guessed that there was a sport out there he actually enjoyed participating in.

A/N: Boom! Gymnast Tony because I think it's awesome ^ ^ there is a point to this, you'll find out next chapter. Next update tomorrow; here's a sneak peek for you:

_Tony followed the sound of Rhodey's voice to a table with familiar people, he couldn't turn around and walk away as Rhodey had seen him and was already waving him over. Tony took a deep breath and walked up to the table, carrying his lunch tray, stopping just shy of Rhodey's shoulder._

"_This is my buddy Tony Stark," Rhodey paused at the sudden look of surprise on their faces, "No need for intros Rhodey, I know them, well know of them, we all used to go to the same school," Tony spoke quietly._


	6. National Sports Tournament

A/N: Yay, we're finally going to pick things up a bit, emphasis on the bit ^ ^

It may seem a little odd, it does get mentioned in a future chapter how the students are able to participate in the tournament without compromising their education, it's only mentioned briefly though so I explain it better at the end of this chapter.

Really, I just needed an excuse to get them all together again, you'll see. ^ ^

**Chapter 6: The National Athletics Tournament.**

There was a whole different myriad of emotions coursing through his body at the moment, and they had been for the last few days. Tony had become really good at gymnastics, the natural talent he had putting him in the top three ranking in his school's gymnastics team which he joined at the start of junior year.

"Nervous?" Rhodey asked as the coach buses carrying the students from all over the states pulled into various hotels around the New York sports stadium. Tony shrugged and didn't answer; Rhodey knew how much he hated New York and how bad his life was here.

Tony was excited at the chance to compete in the National Athletics Tournament, an annual sports competition with over 50 schools from all over the country competing in various sports, the schools with the winning teams were given cash prizes, and the competitors were also given small medals, it was much like the Olympics on a much smaller scale.

Tony however, was not excited that it was being held in New York this year, last year it'd been hosted in Rhode Island, Tony hadn't competed then as he hadn't joined the school's team yet. With so many schools the chances of him running into his old tormentors was slim to none, but there was still that chance, and Tony was dreading it as he had no idea as to how he'd react.

The bus ride was long, the drive from California to New York taking roughly a few days and overnight stops, it was comfortable, but boring.

"Well I'm excited" Rhodey grinned standing up as the bus came to a stop and grabbing his carry-on bag, handing Tony his, "it's not that I'm not excited, I'm just apprehensive, there's so many schools here, and so many different sporting events, I just have an uneasy feeling that I'm going to run into somebody I really don't want to run in too."

Tony finally spoke stepping into the aisle behind Rhodey and exiting the bus, the school chaperones calling to students to gather inside the main lobby of the hotel they'd be staying in, "and you can be excited, you've done this before and totally rock it, this is my first year competing period, I'm a little anxious about how I'll do, I don't want to let the team down."

Rhodey snorted amusedly, "please you let the team down, the coach was pissed you didn't join last year, you're good Tony, scary good it's not right, you can easily attend the next round of summer Olympics and you've only been doing gymnastics for two years, other people train their whole lives to get to the level you're at."

Tony felt a pleased flush rise up his neck at the praise, "thanks Rhodey" the taller teen just smiled, "any time" he said as the teacher called for attention, he gave a long winded speech about upholding the honor of Beach Field High, to act respectfully and do their best before giving out room assignments.

Tony was glad his last name and Rhodey's synched up enough that they automatically got roomed together; they shared with two other guys, but it worked out well enough as they all knew each other, and Tony and Rhodey weren't strangers to sleep overs.

Rhodey stretched idly as he waited in the line at a hot dog stand, it was open court day at the Sports stadium, at this time school teams were allowed to wonder the area and get a feel for where they'd be competing as well as meeting other competitors from different schools, the purpose of the tournament to promote State wide school friendship and good sportsmanship.

Rhodey stumbled and cursed softly under his breath when someone knocked into him, "oh shit, sorry man" Rhodey turned around and came face to face with a sandy blond haired guy wearing a pair of jeans and a short sleeved black shirt.

"It's all good man, no harm done" Rhodey smiled, "I'm Clint, Clint Barton," Rhodey accepted the offered handshake; "James Rhodes, what school and sport are you?" Clint grinned; "I'm local, from Shield High, and my sport is Archery" Rhodey nodded impressed. "What about you?" Clint asked joining Rhodey in line, "not local at all" he laughed, "from California, Beach Field High, my sport is basketball" Clint whistled lowly, "the drive must have been shit" he commented as they moved up in the line.

Rhodey waved his hand, "wasn't that bad, you get music and snacks and friends around, made for an awesome trip" Clint nodded, "how you feel about competing?" "Pretty good, but this ain't my first time, this is my third year competing, been doing it since freshmen year."

Clint gave him a friendly smack on the arm, "shit man, you must be really good" Rhodey preened a little, "not to brag but I am the captain of the school's basketball team, and we haven't lost a game since I took over captaincy."

"I guess Shield's basketball team should be worried" Clint laugh, "that's alright though, I ain't routing for them, bunch of dicks to be honest." Rhodey burst into loud laughter, "no love lost eh?" he asked as they came to front of the line placing their orders. "None what so ever" Clint grinned, "dude come eat with me and my buddies, they'd love to meet you, you can tell us all about California."

"Sure man, you mind if my friend joins us, it's his first time competing and he's really nervous about meeting all these people, doesn't really socialize well." Clint nodded, "more the merrier bro,"

Rhodey quickly pulled out his phone and texted Tony letting him know the change in eating plans and to meet him in the east side food court. After getting their meals Clint lead him to a large table half filled with people, but plenty of empty seats to go around.

"Hey guys, this is James Rhodes, he's from Beach Field High competing in basketball, fucking cool dude," Rhodey nodded politely setting down his meal tray and taking a seat, "this is Natasha Romanoff, a martial artist" Clint gestured to a stunningly beautiful red head who said hello with a faint Russian accent.

"Bruce Banner, he's not competing he's a good friend here for support." A mild mannered looking teen with thin glasses and dark hair, "the guys wicked smart" Rhodey smirked, probably not as smart as Tony, he thought.

"That's Thor Odinson and his brother Loki, Thor's on the football team and Loki is on the soccer team," a tall junior with an outrageous build and shoulder length blond hair grinned at him booming a loud "Hello!" Loki was smaller, not as muscled with dark hair and cool blue eyes, he simply nodded to Rhodey.

"That's Thor's girlfriend Jane Foster, like Bruce here for support" a pretty dainty brunette who sat on Thor's lap gave him a friendly smile, "James Barnes everyone calls him Bucky, football team as well." A very attractive dark haired guy nodded hello, "and Steve Rogers, captain of the football team" Rhodey gaped at another tall blond haired teen with a ridiculous amount of muscles, "shit man, if all the football players at your school are as big as you guys I fear for my school's lives."

Steve laughed, "you don't have to worry too much, us three are the biggest guys on the team, nice to meet you James," James smiled, "nice to meet you guys too, oh hang on, a friend of mine is joining us, yo! Tones!"

Tony followed the loud sound of Rhodey's voice to a table with familiar people, he couldn't turn around and walk away as Rhodey had seen him and was already waving him over. Tony took a deep breath and walked up to the table, carrying his lunch tray, stopping just shy of Rhodey's shoulder.

"This is my buddy Tony Stark," Rhodey paused at the sudden look of surprise on their faces, "No need for intros Rhodey, I know them, well know of them, we all used to go to the same school," Tony spoke quietly frowning at the few people he didn't know, "though I don't think I know you guys."

"Thor his girlfriend Jane, brother Loki, and Bruce" Rhodey fired off, wondering at the weird feeling in the air, "you going to sit or what man?" he asked frowning up at Tony, Tony set his tray down and pulled out his chair, sitting stiffly in it.

"Hey, out of curiosity, are you Tony Stark as in Stark Industries?" Bruce asked, trying to start a conversation, Tony stiffly nodded, "I don't have anything to do with the company though, not until I turn 21 and even then it's a mid-level R&amp;D position to start with that I'm only getting if I finish college," he explained.

"So Tony, are you here to support James?" Jane asked picking up on the awkward air, Tony snorted, "he doesn't need support, Rhodey dominates the court." Jane blinked in surprised, "are you competing?" she asked slowly, glancing at the others who were still staring at Tony in shock.

Tony nodded, Bucky couldn't contain the snort of laughter, "you are competing, in what sport?" he asked a mocking tone to his voice, "gymnastics" Tony bit out, his body tense, "gymnastics?" Bucky laughed, "When the hell did you pick up gymnastics?"

Tony sighed frustrated, "two years ago," Bucky raised a sarcastic eyebrow, "and only two years of practice and you're good enough to compete in the State wide tournament?" Rhodey quickly interjected with a laugh, ignoring the tense atmosphere, "Tony's got all natural talent, he's already been scouted for the Olympics but doesn't want to do it, honestly wait until you see him compete, once he's in the air it's like he's flying over the matt, he's so good the school team nick named him Iron Man."

"That nick name kills me every time" Tony laughed softly shaking his head "fucking Kyle's the one that came up with it eh? He's such an ass." Rhodey chuckled, "that's Kyle for you, loves the nicknames."

The group couldn't get over how different Tony was, last time any of them had seen him, he was withdrawn, and not the most physically healthiest person around. Now, he was slight and toned, with longish shaggy hair, and no glasses in sight.

"Are you two dating?" Steve blurted out gesturing between Rhodey and Tony, Rhodey nearly choked on his hot dog while Tony stared indignantly at Steve, "no, he's like a brother to me" he responded curtly, Steve winced at the tone, Tony obviously remembered their last conversation with clarity.

Rhodey nodded his agreement, "brothers not lovers," he laughed, "shit fuck pile!" Tony yelled when he was grabbed out his seat from behind by a tall guy with dark red hair, "thought it was you, making new friends without me my love, I'm heartbroken!" The new comer hollered exaggeratingly, Tony rolled his eyes struggling to get out of the hold the other guy had on him.

"For fuck's sake, I wish you would stop man handling me you fucking oaf!" Tony yelled struggling more as the guy adjusted his grip and swinging Tony under his arm, lightly smacking him several times on the ass, "don't talk like that baby, you break my heart" he said delivering one more smack to Tony's backside making Tony yell in irritation, "I swear Mike I will kick your ass the moment you put me down!" the Mike guy laughed loudly, "well now I'm not going to put you down now am I?" he asked rhetorically.

"What up Rhodes?" he turned to Rhodey who was grinning at the display, "not much happening, everyone this is Michael he's on our school's boxing team, Mike this is Clint, Natasha, Bruce, Thor and Loki, Jane, Bucky and Steve, they're all from Shield High."

Mike greeted them enthusiastically swinging Tony around in his arms and sitting in what was Tony's seat placing the smaller boy on his lap and keeping him there with his arm around his waist, "I fucking hate you so much right now" Tony glared looking over his shoulder at Mike who gave him a hurt expression, "you cut me real deep Tones, I feel it here," Mike pointed at his chest, "in my heart" Tony rolled his eyes, "oh my…. You have a problem, and you should consider the benefits of talking about it to someone."

Far from being insulted, Mike just laughed joyously, "I love it when you get sassy" he quipped winking at Tony, Tony shook his head and picked up his yogurt, "feed me babe?" Mike asked opening his mouth expectantly, "something wrong with your arms?" Tony asked raising a brow and not looking back, "I'm saving them for my matches!" Mike whined, "Mike, we haven't even gotten practice schedules yet, don't give me a bullshit excuse, you're just fucking lazy."

Despite his words Tony shifted on Mike's lap to better reach his mouth feeding him a spoonful of yogurt alternating between himself and Mike until the treat was gone, "are _you two_ dating?" Steve asked watching the display incredulously.

"We used too" Mike grinned, "there's nothing like dating a gymnast, they're very flexible" he winked laughing when Steve's face turned red at the implication, "well this has been lovely, but I've now lost my appetite, Mike help yourself to the rest of my lunch, Rhodey you know where I'll be for the next little while" Tony stood up, Mike letting him go, "nice to meet you guys" Tony said nodding at the four people he hadn't met before today, "to the rest, whatever" with that he turned and walked away.

"That was weird, Tones isn't all that great at socializing but he's usually more outgoing than that" Mike commented pulling Tony's discarded tray towards him, "so you guys really used to date?" Steve asked curiously, Mike nodded between bites of Tony's sub sandwich.

"It wasn't much of a relationship, I mean we never actually went on dates or anything, and the times we did go out it was in group settings, I like to party, Tony likes to build shit in his basement, should see this robot he built for shits and giggles, fucking insane, but anyway, to be honest we never really fit together, it was more of a friends with benefits kind of thing."

Bucky made a weird face, "are you saying you two had sex?" Mike grinned, "Dude you have no idea, sex with Tony was fantastic, and I admittedly miss it, like I said, there's nothing like dating a gymnast, the shit they can do with their bodies, woo!"

Steve blushed at the thought, "why'd you guys break up?" Jane asked, "You look like you still get along very well." Mike chuckled, "I cheated on him" it was said so casually it made them all pause, "and you guys are still friends?" Clint asked disbelievingly.

"Like I said, it was more a friends with benefits type of thing, I was attracted to Tony for the longest time, we started 'dating' and things were good, far from perfect, but good, at a friend's sweet sixteen, I got a little too drunk, Tony don't party often, so he wasn't there, I ended up bumping uglies with a girl on the boxing team."

"If Tony wasn't there how'd he find out about it?" Bruce asked, Mike smiled wryly, "Tom, mutual friend, the dick head narked on me, called Tony the next morning saying he found me in bed with Shawna, I was going to tell Tony myself, I'm not a liar, and I'm not proud of what I did, Tony's a good guy, fucking fantastic guy, he doesn't need to be messed around like that."

Mike sighed dramatically, "well Tony comes over to our friend's place, makes coffee for Shawna and I, brings it up to us, I swear when I woke up and saw him I just about died, I felt so bad, I kept apologizing, and Shawna started bawling and Tony just started laughing, gave us coffee and says to me; you know, we should stop this before we wreck ourselves, I'm fine, I'm not dying, in fact this is awesome, you two make an adorable couple, and that was the end of it, we went our separate ways, stopped sleeping together, and I started dating Shawna."

"Wow" Jane breathed, "And Shawna is okay with your touchiness with Tony?" Mike smiled widely, "Shawna knows what Tony's like, her sister's on the gymnastics team with him, she knows that Tony was serious when he ended things with us, and once he's made up his mind he don't switch it back, guy's a fucking stubborn ass, she's not threatened at all by him."

The rest of lunch passed by with funny stories, and questions, the mix-matched group getting to know each other, "so where did Tony go anyway, he just upped and left."

Rhodey shrugged at the question lounging in his chair, "off visiting a dear friend of his, he hasn't seen them in a while since this is the first time he's been back in New York since moving out to Cali"

The explanation left a niggling sensation of curiosity in the back of everyone's mind, as far as they knew Tony didn't have friends in New York, so who was he visiting?

A/N: It's funny how much I change when I go back to check through these, like last chapter I deleted an entire conversation because as I'm re-reading it I realize I don't know shit about planes =^.^=

Right, The State Wide Sports Tournament, takes place once a year in April; about 40-50 different schools come out to participate, last about 6 weeks, it finishes mid-May-ish.

The students participating are given extra classes from January to March so they don't fall behind while competing. I just made up a stadium to host it, picture it as a giant dome with different levels and surrounded by hotels.

Honestly, I could have done this so much better, this just happened because I needed a way to get Tony back with the old crowd without it taking place over summer holidays, originally I was going to have them all go on a summer trip to California where they'd meet Rhodey and consequently Tony.

But I have different plans for the summer months, and I needed them to meet up again so yea… sports tournament it was ^ ^ until next time!

Thank you Akemi for the lovely review! I'm so glad you're enjoying this ^ ^


	7. The Way We Were

A/N: As you're reading this I have just made an annoyed sound, mostly because once again this is just a lot of rambling… My bad.

There is some character interaction happening towards the end, is small but significant. This chapter gives some insight on how Steve feels about his own experiences being bullied and how they pertain to the way Tony was treated. Hope you enjoy ^ ^

**Chapter 7: The Way We Were.**

Steve remembered the first time he'd been a victim of bullying, it was back in first grade, he'd been playing in the sandbox by himself quietly when a few boys from an older grade, he thought maybe it was grade 2 or 3, had come up to him.

The first had pushed him face first into the ground, sand getting in his mouth, and sat on his back while the other two called out taunts and jeers, asking in cruel voices why he was so small, why he breathed funny, and wondered why anyone wanted to be friends with him.

It was the first time in his life that Steve felt powerless, first time he hated himself for his weak stature and poor health. He'd fought valiantly trying to get up, but the weight of the kid on his back, and the sand clogging his mouth made it difficult to move and breathe.

Bucky was the one that had come over, and in all his 5 year old glory had fought and struggled with the three other boys, Steve had tried telling the teachers who'd come running at the scene of the fight that the other boys started it and Bucky was only trying to help.

Bucky still got into trouble, not as much as the other boys. Steve remembered the next time it happened, they were older now, in third grade when a kid in his class tripped him going up the stair case to their classroom, Steve ended up breaking an arm on the way down, once again Bucky was the one who went after the kid.

The next incident involved Steve getting locked in the art cupboard in the classroom, he was stuck until the teacher heard his yelling and let him out, he never did see who it was that pushed him from behind, the whole class got a stern talking too.

Every time someone decided to go after him, Bucky was usually there to back him up, from the diaper stage to the grave, they were friends for life.

Steve had learnt quickly that he didn't like bullies, he didn't care where they were from or what their problems were, if he saw someone getting picked on, he always stepped in, even if it meant getting his own ass kicking.

He couldn't count how many times he'd been sat on the closed toilet seat in his bathroom while his mother dabbed anti-septic on cuts or wrapped his soar hand in bandages. Or how many times Bucky had to step in and save him when he bit off more than he could chew, and it'd been like that for so long.

So what had changed? Steve knew that Tony was a target as soon as he met him in seventh grade, Tony was smart, and when they couldn't keep up with his brain Tony would get impatient, if the teachers were wrong; Tony corrected them in a way that was distasteful.

Sure enough, the other kids began to pick on Tony, hiding his things, pushing him around, calling him all sorts of cruel names, and a few times even beating him up. Like everyone else, as soon as he saw it Steve would step him, having taken more than a few hits for Tony, he'd do it for anyone else, so why not him?

Then Steve had hit a growth spurt, by the time he started ninth grade he grew half a foot and began packing on muscle, people left him alone by then, but they still went hard at Tony. But back then, freshman year, Steve was so wrapped up in getting the chance to join the football team, and the sudden girls that seemed interested in him, that he stopped paying attention to the bullying.

Could he really be blamed for that though? He was a teenager, he got distracted just like everyone else, so when his life got interesting, he had the opportunity to go on dates, and join the football team with Bucky, he got busy, and he let himself slip.

Sure he was aware that bullying was still going on, but he never saw it, he couldn't stop it when he couldn't see it, after the incident with Tony and the picture in the cafeteria, Steve let himself get caught up in the mayhem, he was embarrassed.

He was embarrassed over the reaction the picture got, the guys calling out to him if he was dating Stark, and general teasing and taunting that went with it, it felt like the first time in kindergarten all over again.

So when Bucky had asked for honesty, Steve had been honest, admitting that he wasn't fond of the situation and that Tony wasn't his thing, okay so he phrased it harshly, he was embarrassed and upset, he wasn't thinking about how it sounded just that it came out.

Then Tony had heard and took off, and the things he'd said, they made Steve wonder how bad Tony actually had it, and the accusation that he was just like everyone else, that stuck with Steve, to this day he thought back and wondered if it was true, even if it was in the smallest way.

So he'd tried to step up his game again, began paying more attention to bullying and stopping it when he saw it, and once he made captaincy made it clear to his team mates that he didn't care what the situation was, he wouldn't tolerate any bullying or bully like behaviour.

Steve sighed as he wondered the court yard of the hotel Shield had been put up into, it was late at night, and very few students were out this late, he felt sorry for all the chaperones that were responsible for keeping track off so many students.

He turned to the corner around the building heading for the side door when he collided with something soft and tiny, "Oh geez," the person grunted as they collided with the floor.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going, are you okay?" Steve asked helping the fallen body off the ground; he froze, hands still gripping the arms of the other guy, when he saw who it was.

Tony stared back at him, "I'm good, you can let me go now" he muttered tugging his arms to show Steve that he was still holding on to him, "Oh sorry," he let go of Tony, watching as he took a step back and dusted himself off, he was dressed in a long sleeved grey shirt, that obviously did not belong to him as it was two sizes too big, and a pair of black and white plaid lounge pants.

"What are you doing here?" Tony asked, not rudely, but not politely either, Steve stuttered for a moment or two before managing to get out "Shield got put up in this hotel." Tony groaned softly in annoyance, "so did Beach Field" Tony sighed, a long silence stretched between the two.

"Well, see you around" Tony broke the awkward silence, turning to walk away, "hey wait!" Steve called taking a step after him, Tony paused looking back over his shoulder curiously, "can I help you?" he asked.

Steve cleared his throat, "I was just thinking, how are you? You seem so different," he commented rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably, Tony raised a sarcastic brow, "it's a little thing called being happy, people tend to look different when they feel different" he responded in a clipped tone.

Steve sighed, "I meant, how _are _you?" Tony rolled his eyes, "look Rogers, I'm not fluent in idiot, so either up the ante or say it bluntly" Steve gawked for a second before shaking his head, "the last time we spoke, you weren't the greatest, how are you?"

Tony made an impatient sound, "if you're asking how I coped with all the crap back in freshman year, I'm better, you don't have to concern yourself with charity here Rogers."

Steve winced, "it's not charity, or pity, its sympathy, I was once there too you know, and I know how it feels to have everyone else treat you like you're nothing." Tony hummed, crossing his arms over his chest, "and then you got hot and couldn't be bothered with us plebeians any more, it's cool I get it."

Steve couldn't help the snort of laughter, quickly calming himself when Tony gave him an affronted look, "Sorry, I just noticed how much like a cat you are" Tony frowned, "excuse me?" he asked, coldly, "No, no" Steve hastily said, holding up his hands in a surrendering motion, "I wasn't trying to make fun of you, I just noticed that when you're in a situation you don't particularly like, you start lashing out, like a cat with claws, I imagine if you had cat ears they'd be pinned back right about now and your tail would be all puffed up," Steve smiled.

Tony stared at him in silence for several long moments; Steve cleared his throat again, feeling uneasy and somewhat embarrassed. "So it's awfully late to be taking a pleasure walk, you having trouble sleeping? I remember James saying this is your first competition, it could be the nerves?"

Tony frowned deeper, then reluctantly sighed and uncrossed his arms, "it's not my first competition, it's my first state wide one, I'm not having trouble sleeping, and I'm not really taking a pleasure walk, I'm in my fucking pajamas for fuck sake's, I'm out here because it's supposed to rain tonight."

Steve raised a curious brow, "it's going to rain and you want to be outside?" he asked uncertainly, Tony shrugged and leant back against the wall of the hotel, turning his head to the sky where storm clouds were starting to gather, "I've always liked the rain, the smell of the air, it smells fresh, and clean, and pure. Like everything bad is being washed away."

Steve gave him a thoughtful look and turned to look up himself just as a crack of lightning lit up the sky, it wouldn't be long until the first drops fell. Steve turned back to Tony only to find him walking away, heading to the side entrance that was covered by an awning, he quickly moved to catch up, stepping under the awning just as the rain began to fall.

"I like the rain," Tony started just as Steve stepped under, "not exactly in the mood to be dancing in it tonight" Steve smiled softly, feeling like Tony was sharing a secret, "you like to dance?" Steve asked quietly, not really expecting an answer.

"I love to dance" Tony responded gently, not taking his eyes off the falling water drops, "back in Cali, the rain there is always warm, I live just off one of the beaches and sometimes when it rains, I go dancing along the sand, with the wind, and rain, and the waves crashing into the shore line, it's all natural music, best kind to dance by."

Steve swallowed thickly, "I'm not good at dancing" he muttered, then wanted to slap himself for saying it, Tony turned his head and looked at Steve confused, "I find that hard to believe, not to make you uncomfortable, but damn Rogers, you're built, I'm sure there's lots of girls, hell even a few guys, that wouldn't mind taking you around the dance floor for a song or two."

Steve shrugged helplessly, "I'm not uncomfortable, and I'm just not a good dancer, believe me the best I can do is hold on and sway." Steve startled when Tony laughed, not ever expecting to hear the melodious sound come from something he said, "That's hilarious" Tony tittered.

"It's not as hard as you think it is, and I've seen you on the field, you've got rhythm, just put that to some music and bam, you're dancing." Steve smiled, slowly relaxing and not feeling so nervous, "how long have you been dancing?" he asked leaning back against one of the poles holding the awning up.

"I've always danced; I like music, normally rock, sometimes something softer, sometimes when the right kind of music is on, you just want to move, even you can admit there have been times where say you're cleaning your room and you got your favorite station on, and a certain song comes on and you start waltzing around with the broom not giving a shit how stupid you look." Steve nodded grinning; there have been times where he's done exactly that.

"I started off like that; I didn't really get past anything more complicated than holding on and swaying until I took up gymnastics." Steve's grin grew wider at the teasing lilt to Tony's voice.

"How come they nick named you Iron man?" Steve asked, relaxing more into the sudden conversation, Tony chortled lowly, "it actually comes from my being in the engineering club, I'm good at mechanical work, hence Iron, then when Kyle saw me perform the first time, and how high I can get off the ground, he's the first one that said it looked like I was flying, so he started calling me Iron Man."

Steve made another sound of clearing his throat, "you're… friend Mike, he said you built a really cool robot?" Tony snorted, "First ignore Mike, he's a fucktard, and I built the robot for two reasons, one I live alone and wanted some company, two; I needed an assistant for other projects. But he's fucking useless, for something built with high level comprehensive intelligence, he's stupid. World's dumbest robot, he drops everything he picks up, he's constantly knocking shit over, and when I need to debug him or update his programming he fucking fights me and I have to chase him all over the fucking basement."

Steve laughed at the description, "he's sounds awesome, any way I can see it?" he asked if a little hesitantly, "YouTube, Rhodey posted a video of it on there, just look up Tony Stark DUM-E bot." Steve laughed again, "You named him dummy?" "Not dummy, D-U-M hyphen E, but it suits him because he is a fucking dummy." The conversation tapered out after that, a gentle silence encompassing the two as they stood for another half hour watching the rain fall, eventually Tony bid him goodbye as he had practice at ten and needed some sleep.

Steve nodded and waved him off, watching as the slighter boy disappeared into the side door and down the hall, Steve sighed to himself as he turned back to the rain fall, that conversation went a lot better than he thought it would, and Tony was right, the rain was nice.

A/N: and there we have it, first part major rambling, second part…finally, they're talking ^ ^ let's see where it goes shall we?

A shout out to Akemi and InuGuardian for the reviews, I'm so glad you guys like it, and I hope it keeps getting better for you ^ ^

I posted a day early because insomnia struck me last night and I figured, it's done now so why not? There's still going to be an update tomorrow too!


	8. Action and Reaction

A/N: I honestly, don't know why I did this, I actually laughed really hard when I went back to check this chapter over and for some reason I decided that Justin Hammer wants to take over Stark Industries so badly that this happened.

Also, Thanks Dayja for your review, I went back and fixed chapter 6 a bit. I appreciate it a lot, thank you very much hopefully it's a bit more coherent now ^ ^ I really could have done that so much better eh? But thank you very much, and I'm glad you enjoy the story; I hope you continue to enjoy it! ^ ^

**Chapter 8: Action and Reaction.**

It had to have been the coolest thing Steve had ever seen, after going back to his room that night spent watching the rain fall, he'd looked up the video of Tony's creation.

The mechanical arm with three pronged grabbers, and a large rolling base was brilliant, and very much like a puppy, it followed commands, made high pitched clicks and squeals when it was praised, and drooped and made low clicking sounds when scolded.

It comprehended human speech, and responded with clicks and other noises and was able to demonstrate doing simple to complicated tasks; it was honestly and truly incredible.

And that's what Steve told Tony the next day when he caught the slighter boy leaving the gymnastics level of the stadium, wearing another oversized shirt, and skin tight black spandex shorts carrying a red and gold duffel bag and sweaty from practice.

Tony had flushed bright red and mumbled thanks before leaving, saying something about a shower and lunch with Rhodey leaving Steve to attend his own practice in the stadium field. Steve caught Tony a few more times over the next few days alone and slowly conversation became easy for them.

Steve had to admit he was wrong when he previously said that talking to Tony would be frustrating, though sometimes the swearing made Steve flush as he'd been raised in a non-swearing household and if he did curse even in the slightest, his mother still washed his mouth out with soap.

But Tony cursed worse than anything Steve had ever heard before, every other word was fuck this or fuck that and what the fucks, it took a bit getting used too, Rhodey and Tony joined the Shield high crew for lunch a few more times throughout the week, and occasionally dinner as well, every so often they were joined by Mike who'd immediately latch on to Tony and even spanked him again a couple of times despite Tony's warning of a sound ass kicking.

Steve liked it better when Mike didn't show up; there was just something about the other buy that always made him bristle, but he couldn't put his finger on why.

Tony got along fabulously with Jane and Bruce, the three all wanting to enter a division of science as careers, Jane wanted to be a physicist, Bruce was interested in nuclear physics, and Tony was into engineering, the conversations those three had were dizzying.

There was still a tense feeling between Bucky, Clint and Tony, not so much Natasha but then she was one of the few who'd left Tony alone and didn't bother much with him, they'd spoken few times civilly, but weren't what you'd call friends yet.

Clint was trying, cracking jokes and even getting Tony to laugh a few times, they both had a sarcastic sense of humor and could go for hours firing off pop culture references one after the other, it made their conversations utterly hilarious.

Tony did not talk to Bucky at all unless Bucky directed a question to him, Steve was worried about the situation between Bucky and Tony, afraid they'd come to blows and he'd have to intervene.

"What the hell is this shit?" Clint asked as a delivery man placed a large floral bouquet on the table in front of Tony, they were in the middle of lunch, and were having a rather heated conversation about the original Star Trek versus the reboot movies.

Tony groaned painfully and pushed the flowers away after signing for them, "anybody want flowers for their room?" he asked sullenly, dropping his head onto the table, "who are they from?" Jane asked admiring the obviously expensive bouquet.

Rhodey chuckled, "Justin Hammer, he attends Beach Field's sister school, Point Wave, he met Tony at the bon fire over the summer, totally wants to bone him."

"Justin Hammer, the heir to Hammer Technologies?" Bruce asked incredulously, Tony nodded his head still on the table, face buried in his arms, he sighed and sat up straight, annoyance written all over his face.

"It's flattering sure, but he only wants to get with me because it gives him an in with Stark Industries, the two companies have been at war with each for decades, not to be conceited because it's not my doing, but S.I is far superior than H.T. Justin is under the belief that if he dates me, then he can merge the two companies together, and I'm like no, that shit's not going to fly."

Jane frowned curiously at the flowers, "how do you know that's what he wants, what if he's legitimately interested in you?" Tony shook his head, "he flat out told me that's what was going to happened, right before he asked me out the first time, and I told him to fuck off, I'm not letting S.I get attached to a third rate company like H.T" Tony gave a disgusted look at the thought.

Rhodey broke in swallowing the last of his burger, "to be honest Justin is a bit of ponce, he expects things to just be given to him because he wants them, he won't stop asking Tony out because he expects Tony to say yes, these flowers are just for show."

Tony grunted amused, "it's cute he thinks he owns me" he gave a quiet laugh, "he's just annoying because he's persistent, doesn't know how to take no for an answer"

Steve frowned, worried, "that doesn't alarm you? That kind of mentality can lead to obsessive behavior, what if he starts stalking you? You live alone, what's to stop him from breaking into your house?"

Steve deftly ignored the surprised look that Bucky gave him upon revealing that he knew about Tony's living circumstances. Tony shook his head, "nope, I designed the house's security system myself, nothing can get through it, and I may be a little guy but I can fuck you up real bad, I can handle Justin myself, he doesn't worry me."

Steve always took his shower last after practice, more relaxing being by himself than listening to 20 other guys running around and hollering. The first of the matches were due to start on Monday, Steve's first play was against a school from Connecticut on Tuesday afternoon, and they'd just finished their last practice, now it was a couple of days of rest before their first match.

Steve toweled off, dressed, and packed up his gym bag, making sure all his equipment was in there as he headed out of the football locker rooms, just in time to avoid the another team as they clambered into the locker rooms behind him.

"Fucking watch it, Hammer!" Steve paused at the sound of Tony's voice echoing up the stair case from the gymnastics level, frowning he headed down to the lower level, exiting the stairs to see Tony dressed in his practice clothes pushing back another teen dressed in a rugby outfit.

"Now, Anthony, this is going to happen sooner or later, you may as well just accept it and say yes," the other teen had dark blond hair, and wore a pair of square framed glasses, "get over yourself!" Tony snapped a look of utter fury on his face, "You're not that great, and I am not letting you get your dirty hands on Stark Industries, it's never going to happen, so just fuck off!"

Justin gave him a disapproving look, "you need to watch your language Anthony, I suppose we will have to work on that, there are a lot of things about you that needs to change for this to work." The words made Steve's blood boil, who the hell did this arrogant ass think he was? Tony didn't need to change anything, he was perfect the way he was!

"Stop fucking calling me that, my name is fucking Tony!" Tony grunted in surprised when Justin lunged forward pining his smaller body to the wall, "I checked your birth certificate, your name's Anthony, and I will call you whatever I please."

"You have no idea how creepy that is, and get the fuck away; your breath smells like tuna fish and onions!" Tony lifted his foot slamming the bare heel into Justin's foot, Justin hissed and slammed Tony back against the wall, "that wasn't nice Anthony" he growled.

"Hey!" Steve yelled dropping his bag and pulling Justin off of Tony, "what do you think you're doing?" Steve demanded, Justin spun round to face his attacker, seeing the enormous 6,4 football player with muscles rippling under a white t-shirt.

"Its fine Rogers, I can handle this" Tony snapped stepping out from behind Steve, "you obviously can't!" Steve snapped back, not looking at him and missing the incensed look on the smaller boy's face.

"When someone says no, you should be a man about it and walk away" Steve growled, Justin smirked superiorly up at Steve, "do you have any idea who I am?" He asked, imperiously.

"A pretentious little boy with no respect," Steve fired off, inwardly enjoying the outraged look on Justin's face, "I'm Justin Hammer, you don't talk to me like that" he hissed in anger.

"I'll talk to you how ever I want to talk to you, back off!" Steve warned, subconsciously flexing his arms, Justin took one look at Steve's bulging biceps and decided he'd fair better another time, "we'll finish this later Anthony" he said turning and walking up the stairs.

Steve sighed in relief, relaxing as Justin vanished up the stair well, "Are you okay?" Steve asked turning to face Tony, "ouch! What was that for?!" Steve asked as Tony punched him right in the face.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" Tony demanded angrily, shaking his hand out, fuck, Steve's face was hard, "you're not some knight in shining armor that I need to rescue me Rogers, I'm not a damsel in distress, I'm perfectly fine on my own, do not ever presume to know what I can and can't handle!" Tony shouted, absolutely livid.

Steve made a confused sound, gesturing helplessly with his arms, "What did you want me to do? He had you pinned against a wall Tony, was I supposed to just stand there and let him hurt you?!"

"I don't need you to defend me Rogers, I can fucking do it on my own, and have been since birth!" Steve sighed, "Please stop yelling, I was only trying to help".

Tony shook his head huffily, "I didn't ask for your help, next time just stay out of the fucking way!" Tony pushed past Steve and stalked angrily to the gymnastics lockers. Steve watched him go, feeling annoyed and irritated. Steve grabbed his bag off the floor and made his way back to the hotel in frustration.

"Holy shit!" Bucky hollered when he walked into their shared room a few minutes after Steve, "what the hell happened to your face?" Steve flinched, "is it that bad?" he asked turning and observing his face in the mirror mounted to the wall in the hotel room.

Shit, he thought as he took in the sight of the black eye he now sported, "how did that happen?" Bucky asked grabbing Steve's head and gently turning it to him so as to see the damage. "Tony was getting accosted in the hall outside the gymnastic level, I stepped in, and he punched me."

Bucky sighed amused, "Steve you got to learn that you can't fight every battle that comes your way, I hope the dude that hit you looks worse than you do." Steve startled, "no Bucky, the guy didn't do this, Tony did. Seems he didn't want my assistance and told me off proper for it."

Bucky paused in grabbing the ice bucket, "hang on, you're telling me, that Stark, tiny little Stark, gave you a black eye?" Steve nodded rolling his good eye as Bucky burst into laughter, "that's priceless!"

Steve smiled good naturedly, "yea, yea, laugh it up, just pass me the ice, I need to get this swelling down before our game on Tuesday." Bucky tossed him the ice bucket, laughing loudly the entire time.

A/N: See, honestly have no idea why that happened, I just went with the flow ^ ^ So now We've gained an inch, but gone back a mile, poor Steve, he was just trying to help! Alas, he's still got some things to learn about Tony.


	9. An Inch Forward, A Mile Back

A/N: Poor Steve, he just wants to talk again, but Tony certainly isn't making it easy for him.

**Chapter 9: An Inch Forward, A Mile Back.**

Steve sighed to himself in frustration as Tony continued to eat his lunch silently, the others were a little confused as to the sudden change in temperament, and they acknowledged that Tony could be a little awkward around them for past reasons, but he usually spoke more than this.

Bucky's shoulders shook in silent laughter at Steve as Tony resolutely ignored him, Rhodey cast curious looks between Steve and Tony, finally mouthing 'what happened?' at Steve who made a hopeless face and a vague gesture with his hands.

"I'm done, thanks for lunch, catch you guys later!" Tony called as he stood and collected his tray and walked off. "Okay, what the fuck? He was fine yesterday, now he's all pissy" Clint asked as soon as Tony was out of ear shot.

Bucky couldn't contain himself any longer and burst into loud laughter, dropping his head on the table top and smacking his hand onto the surface over and over again.

Steve rolled his eyes, "honestly Bucky, stop it's not funny" Bucky gasped for breath, "fuck yes it is!" he choked out, dissolving into laughter again much to the puzzlement of everyone else.

"You know what happened, Steve?" Natasha asked inspecting her nails idly, Steve grimaced, "I may have stepped into a situation that wasn't mine to step into, and may or may not have offended Tony." Natasha raised a perfectly sculpted brow, "does that explain that lovely black eye you're currently sporting?" she asked with a small smirk.

Steve glared at her with no real heat to the look, "he punched me okay?" Bucky howled with laughter, joined by Clint when the words sunk in, "Tony gave you a black eye!" He spoke hysterically.

"So Steve, what happened man?" Rhodey asked pushing back his empty tray and slouching in his seat comfortably.

"I was leaving the locker room, heard Tony shouting from the gymnastics level, I went down to see if he was okay and saw him getting harassed by that Justin guy, he had Tony pinned to the wall and I stepped in, Tony didn't like that and punched me."

Thor frowned grievously, "I should think that the man of iron would be grateful for your assistance, why is he not happy with you?" Steve smiled wryly; Thor always had such a poetic way of speaking. "That's what I'm trying to figure out; he just got so angry about it."

Loki made a nonchalant sound, "seems like you should have just stayed out of it" he commented silkily, Loki was normally with the soccer team, rarely eating with the others, this was such a time where he did.

Steve sighed, leaning over and smacking Bucky and Clint on the back of their heads as they were still laughing at his expense, "I'm starting to think that" he responded delicately touching his blackened eye, some of the swelling had gone down, and he could see out of it alright, it was just this nasty dark purple color with tints of black and green to it.

Rhodey made a sound of acknowledgement and stood, "you're a smart guy Steve, you'll figure it out" he smiled picking up his tray and saying goodbye to everyone before heading to the practice he had that day.

"It's just too funny" Clint chuckled, "he's such a little guy and he got the drop on you, man Steve, I think he didn't need your help after all."

Steve made a displeased face, "it certainly looked like he did, he was being shoved into that wall, and that Justin guy is creepy beyond all reason, who talks to somebody like that?!" he spoke vehemently not seeing the look Natasha and Jane gave him.

"This is messed, we were getting along so well, and then this happened, and I just don't get why he's so mad at me, I was just trying to help." Steve moaned, dejectedly slumping in his seat. Natasha shifted ever so slightly in her seat, "don't stress over it too much Steve, he'll come round."

Jane nodded, "she's right, just give him some time to cool off and think about the situation, everything will be fine, you'll see." Jane patted his hand comfortably leaning over the table to reach him. "Bruce and I have to go now, we got to get back to school, unlike you privileged athletes we still have classes to attend" she winked at them, standing up and bending over to give Thor a quick kiss.

"Not really privileged, we had to attend extra class for three months just so we wouldn't fall behind for this thing!" Clint called after her and Bruce as they left the food court.

Steve tried several more times that day to talk to Tony, going as far as to wait for him outside the gymnastics level, he had appeared in the now familiar oversized shirt and shorts, barefoot with wrist and ankle supporters on, carrying his gym bag and covered in sweat.

Tony had taken one look at him and snarked out a "What? Are you my body guard now too? I think I can find the locker room and stairs on my own thanks" before following his teammates to the lockers, not giving Steve a chance to say anything.

By the end of the day Steve was ready to pull out his hair in frustration, he didn't know why his actions offended Tony so much, and every time he tried to bring it up the guy dodged him expertly or gave some sarcastic retort, it was maddening.

"Steve!" Steve turned his head to see Rhodey walking up to where he was sitting on the benches outside the hotel's main entrance, "hey what's up?" Steve greeted as Rhodey sat down, "look man, I didn't want to get involved, because frankly, this shit isn't any of my business, personally I'm glad you dealt with Justin, the guy is a nut job, and yea Tony can handle him on his own, but every now and then it's nice that he shouldn't have too."

Steve nodded, unclear as to where this was going, "thanks I guess" Rhodey gave him a friendly smile, "I see you're struggling here, and I have to be honest with you, Tony told me all about freshman year after the first time we all had lunch together."

Steve flinched, "you must think we're pretty awful" Rhodey shook his head negatively, "perhaps, a little, but man we're teenagers; this is the stage in life where we rebel and do stupid shit despite what our parents say, and dude, we get mean and nasty to each other."

Rhodey puffed out a deep breath, "yes, what you guys did was fucking awful, but Tony is a tough guy, and if you all hadn't done that shit to him, he wouldn't have moved to Cali, wouldn't have gotten healthy and wouldn't be as happy as he is. People think that just because he's a rich kid he has it easy, they're wrong."

Steve perked up at the sudden insight to Tony's life, "Tony has no relationship with his parents, not my place to say, but man, he's spent the last two years' worth of holidays at my house, didn't even get so much as a phone call from his folks, he doesn't even call them mom and dad, he calls them by their names; Maria and Howard."

Steve frowned, remembering Tony allotting to having parents that didn't care about him, "Tony lives in a house the Stark family owns, his dad pays for the amenities, but for everything else Tony is on his own, he works at a coffee bar, and pays for his own groceries, and clothes, and, anything else he might need. Hell his parents don't even know that he's in New York right now, they wouldn't care."

Rhodey sat back on the bench, stretching his legs out, "all his life Tony has had to fight for the things he has, and he's proud to have done so, and that's the problem Steve, his pride. You wounded his pride, that's why he's pissed."

Steve gaped in shock, "that seems like such a superficial reason though" he commented, Rhodey shook his head, chuckling.

"Not to him it's not, Tony is self-sustainable, he works, he gets his shit when he needs too, and has never asked anything from his parents beyond Howard paying for the heat and air conditioning, water, and electricity. Anytime there's been shit to deal with, he's always dealt with it on his own, he's never had anyone before to help him, except Jarvis, and he passed away just as Tony started freshman year."

"_**The one person who meant anything to me is dead!"**_ Tony's words from two years ago echoed in Steve's head, "Tony is used to being on his own for everything, I include him in my family get togethers just to give the guy a sense of a real family, he calls my parents momma and papa Rhodes, but he won't let them fight his battles for him. Tones and I are like brothers, and he won't let me help him when he needs it, it's that pride man, in his mind, since he's made it this far, he doesn't need anyone else."

Steve nodded, slowly understanding, "so he's angry with me because I told him he couldn't handle the situation and did it for him, when he would've been fine on his own" Rhodey nodded, "exactly man, Tony doesn't like being told what he can and can't do, doesn't like people thinking he's an invalid, that's how you made him feel, so yes he's angry and hurt and mostly pissed at himself that he didn't get Justin to back off sooner, if he had you wouldn't have stepped in to the fray, and you guys would still be good."

Steve rubbed at his face tiredly, wincing at the pull of his sore eye, "well he definitely has a mean right hook" Steve chortled, poking at the bruised skin lightly.

Rhodey laughed, "You have no idea, you know how he's always threatening to kick Mike's ass?" Steve nodded, "he's done it before, Mike walked away with a sprained wrist, and a black eye worse than yours, it's actually one of the reasons Mike asked him out."

"How did that have anything to do with him wanting to date Tony?" Steve asked stiffly, Rhodey gave a one shoulder shrug.

"Mike likes them feisty, Tony is as tough as it gets, kid takes shit from no one anymore" Rhodey cleared his throat, "as awkward as this is for me to say, Mike was actually attracted to Tony's eyes first, says they're beautiful."

"They are" Steve whispered softly, Rhodey gave him a look which made Steve flush in mild embarrassment, "they're the first things I noticed about Tony too" he explained, "it's why I hated those glasses he wore, they covered his eyes, and they're his best feature, it's the artist in me."

Rhodey laughed, "sure it is" Steve blanched, "what's that supposed to mean?" he asked curiously, Rhodey shook his head, "don't worry about it man, anyway now that you know what the problem is, you ready to go talk to him?"

Steve nodded standing and stretching, he'd been sitting there for too long, "good, it's supposed to rain again tonight, you'll know where to find him." Steve thanked him and began walking off, heading into the hotel.

A/N: Aww, little heart to heart there, but now that Steve knows what Tony's issue is, can he get Tony to stay put long enough to hear him out?


	10. Iron Man

A/N: Its Tony's first match, now we'll know why he's called Iron Man, also once again, not a gymnast, research only yields so much, and most of it was done watching videos on youtube, and asking a co-worker who teaches gymnastics.

**Chapter 10: Iron Man.**

"Hey" Steve called softly, not wanting to startle Tony, the smaller teen still jumped and turned around swiftly, they stared at each other for a long while as the sounds of falling rain surrounded them.

"What's up?" Tony asked crossing his arms over his chest guardedly, "look, I'm not sure where to start this, and I know you're not fluent in idiot" Steve could've grinned at the sight of the small twitch at the corner of Tony's mouth.

"So I'll just come right out and say it; I'm sorry." Tony nodded, "and what exactly are you apologising for?" Steve laughed, "Wow, you certainly don't make this easy do you?" Tony shook his head, the twitch turned into a small smile.

"I'm sorry for stepping in when you could've handled yourself just fine, I'm sorry for taking the right you had to deal with the problem on your own away, and I'm sorry for thinking you couldn't handle it, and for treating you like you couldn't, believe me I now know you can" Steve pointed at his blackened eye.

Tony made a distressed sound in the back of his throat, "I'm sorry for punching you, and I guess I'm sorry for evading you all day, and for the smart ass comments."

Steve grinned; "I like your smart ass comments" Tony laughed, "one of the few Rogers, one of the few."

"Are we good?" Steve asked moving a little closer, "yea, we're good" Tony responded turning back to watch the rain. "Just asking, how often does things like that happen?"

Tony exhaled a deep breath in annoyance, "more often than I care to admit" he answered leaning on one the poles holding the awning up. "Have you ever told anyone about it?" Tony shook his head, "everyone knows, so who's left to tell?" Steve nodded understandingly, "if he's that persistent, why not get a restraining order, he clearly makes you uncomfortable."

"Public ramification" Steve stared at him blankly, Tony snickered at the blank look, "imagine this, the heir to the Stark Industries empire, putting a restraining order on the heir to the Hammer Technologies Empire, how do you think the public would react? Keep in mind that the two companies have been butting heads for over 30 years."

Steve nodded his head in comprehension, "I see, they'd probably think you're trying to discredit your rival company or something like that" Tony smiled widely, "smarter than you make yourself appear Rogers,"

"Steve" Tony blinked up at the taller teen, "I'm aware of who you are thanks" Steve laughed, "no I meant, call me Steve, you only ever call me Rogers, I…actually I don't think you've ever called me by my first name."

Tony paused for several long moments, "okay then, feeling good about your first game Steve?" The smile that appeared on Steve's face could've powered the whole hotel, it was that bright. "Feeling pretty good, we're up against a team from Connecticut, what about you? You're first competition is tomorrow, getting any nerves yet?"

Tony laughed, "like you wouldn't believe, I just don't want to let my team down, we worked really hard to get here, and some of them have been doing this their entire lives, I've only been doing it a couple of years."

Steve reached out, not thinking of his actions, and placed a large warm hand on Tony's shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly, "you'll do great; you kind of seem like the person that goes big or goes home."

Tony stared at the hand on his shoulder, feeling the weight and the warmth seep into him, "well I certainly don't do things by half." Steve seemed to realize where his hand was and removed it, tucking the appendage into his jean pocket, "mind if I come and watch?" Tony raised a brow at him, "it's an open spectator competition, knock yourself out."

Steve nodded, after a few minutes of silence hesitantly asked "are you going to come to my game?" Tony stared in surprise at him, "alright, I guess I'll come" Steve beamed down at him, happy at the answer.

"But if you lose I'm going to blacken your other eye." Tony threatened, Steve laughed at the half-hearted warning. "I'll make sure not to lose then" they stayed for another half hour watching the rain fall before Tony called it a night, "good luck tomorrow" Steve called after him, laughing at Tony's response of "I don't need luck, I have skill!"

"I'm actually really excited about this" Steve stared at Bucky incredulously as the group took seats as close to the matts as they could find, people were piling in to the gymnastics room, loud chattering echoing in the massive hall.

"Seriously?" Steve asked, surprised, "of course, I don't think Tony Stark is a sports person, I still have my doubts that he can do this, I'm interested to see if he can" from a few people over Rhodey's voice called out, "just watch and wait then, prepare to see Iron Man in action!"

An announcer called over the speakers for spectators to take their seats, the crowd slowly quieting down, "welcome ladies and gentlemen to the National Sports Competition!" there was a loud cheer at the announcer's voice.

"Today's event is open gymnastics; our competitors are the Massachusetts Raven High School, and They will be going up against Beach Field High School, from California!"

The group let out a loud cheer, clearly showing which team they were there to support, "This event starts with the floor routine, up first, from Raven High, Pamela Jacobson!"

A pretty dark haired girl walked onto the matt, she stood in the far corner limbering up, music started blaring through the speakers and the girl was off, the crowd watched in amazement as she performed all sort of complicated stunts.

One after the other gymnasts performed their floor routines to the loud cheers of the crowd, until finally "up next from Beach Field High, Tony Stark a.k.a Iron Man!" Steve watched as Tony walked onto the mat giving, who was unmistakably Kyle, a dirty look.

The group of friends eagerly watched as Tony limbered up, surprisingly music began playing, it wasn't completely unusual but most male gymnasts didn't do their floor routines to music.

Rhodey laughed when he heard the song playing "Lucky Strike, by Maroon 5!" he called over the loud music.

The music reached a pinnacle and Tony was off, "Holy shit" Bucky breathed as Tony soared through the air, doing a perfect 6/1 flip and landing on his feet before he was off again, the routine got more complicated, the flips got longer, it was nearly dizzying just to watch.

Tony landed steadily on his feet, a bear stumble to his landing, he steadied himself for a split second and began the run to perform the final piece to his routine, "look at that lift! A perfect tuck with 6 flips, amazing! Now we know why he's called Iron Man ladies and gentlemen, outstanding performance!" Tony landed just as the music stopped facing the madly cheering audience; he gave a short bow and walked off the matt grinning.

The event went on for the next two hours, the uneven bars, to the wooden horse for the boys on the teams, and finally the rings, Steve hollered loudly as the announcer announced the high medalists, the Pamela Jacobson girl from Raven high and Tony Stark from Beach Field.

He went on to say that the team with the most points was Beach Field and they'd be moving on to face off against the New Orleans' Black Woods High School Friday, while Raven High would be facing off against the Washington High next week.

The small group of friends waiting just outside the Gymnastic level for Tony and his team to come out, "I can't even describe that" Bucky exclaimed excitedly, "did you guys see how high he went!" Steve laughed at his friend, "doubts put to rest Bucky?" he asked teasingly, "fuck yea! That was awesome!"

Tony's team came flooding out of the stairwell leading down to the gymnastics level, "way to go Iron Man!" Bucky cheered clapping wildly, Tony paused in surprise, "thanks" he said hesitantly casting a look at the others that clearly said 'what the fuck?'

"I can't believe you've only been doing that shit for two years, you're like a pro!" Bucky continued excitedly, Tony gave a small laugh, as Bucky continued on describing how awesome Tony's routine was, "told you that you didn't have anything to worry about" Steve murmured coming up to Tony and pulling the smaller boy into a hug.

Tony blanched at the contact, not expecting it, "thanks" he muttered breathlessly, "celebration time!" Clint cut in; Steve released his hold on Tony and followed the group as they headed up another level to the exit.

"What was that?" Rhodey asked as he fell into stop beside Tony, Tony shrugged helplessly, "I don't know man, dude I'm so lost."

"Okay, what's up?" Rhodey asked as he lounged on his and Tony's shared bed in their room while Tony sat on the floor working on something in his design book, "nothing's up, why would you think something's up?" Tony asked, keeping his attention on the design in front of him.

"Tony, you go deadly silent for two reasons, one you're asleep, two; something's bothering you on a massive scale, you're deadly silent now, and since you're not asleep, that means something is bothering you, come on man, talk to me."

Tony sighed and closed his book, leaning back and letting his head rest against the edge of the mattress, "Steve" he finally uttered into the quiet room.

"Is this about that random hug? To be honest that weirded me out, I didn't think you guys were close enough for the physical contact stage."

"We're not" Tony started, stretching his legs out and sighing in content at the cracking sound, "We talk, and we're sort of friends, I don't know Rhodey, I get such weird signals from him. Steve's straight, like ruler straight, but ever since lunch that first day, things have been odd."

"How so?" Rhodey asked turning on his side, staring down at Tony, "he shows up unexpectedly, he talks to me about random things, he defended me from Justin, and he asked me to come watch him play tomorrow, and then he hugs me today. I don't know what to think about it all."

"Tony, the guy likes you" Tony rolled his eyes up at Rhodey, "I know he likes me, if he didn't he wouldn't talk to me as much as he does"

Rhodey laughed, "For a genius, you sure are fucking stupid," "Hey!" Tony yelled resentfully, "For real man, the guy likes you, like _likes_ you." Tony stared up at Rhodey blankly, "are you trying to insinuate that Steve Rogers has a crush on me? Because baby cakes, that would be pretty ironic, and really not possible, seeing as how he's straight!"

Rhodey grabbed a spare pillow and smacked Tony in the face with it, Tony huffed a laugh out and snatched the pillow from Rhodey returning the smack half-heartedly, "the guy likes you Tony, he just doesn't know it yet, and you still carry a torch for him, admit, Steve's your one and only man."

Tony stared up at the ceiling in deep thought, "after all the shit that went down in freshman year, I promised myself I would never fall in love, its just not worth the pain."

"Yes it is" Rhodey responded after a few minutes of silence, "a wise man once said that love is the most powerful force in this world, it's also the most humbling, seriously man watch him when he's around you, he gets this excited puppy dog look on his face, and whenever you talk he's avidly paying attention to everything coming out of that gaping hole in your face you call a mouth."

Tony reached back and slapped Rhodey's side with the back of his hand, "thanks asshole" he deadpanned making Rhodey laugh, "not just that but whenever Mike comes around Steve looks like he's seconds away from knocking him out, if we're all at lunch or dinner and you don't show up right away he starts getting antsy and looks around for you, I'm telling you Tones, guy's got it bad and doesn't even realize it."

"How is that even a thing? We've only been talking two weeks!" Tony yelled burying his face in the stolen pillow, "there's this awesome thing I read on a button in hot topic 'I fell in love the way you fall asleep, slowly then all at once' that stuff happens fast Tones, without people even realizing it, one day you open your eyes and think Holy shit, I'm in love!"

Rhodey rolled back over onto his back, "Steve's in his slowly phase, and sooner or later he's going to realize that he wants you." Tony rolled his eyes, "you do know that quote is from the Fault in our stars right? And it was horribly depressing as much as it was life reaffirming."

"Trust you to know everything" Rhodey laughed, "I had no idea man, like I said, I literally read it on a button in a hot topic, and stop deflecting, he likes you, you like him…" Rhodey gave Tony an earnest look, wiggling his eyebrows.

Tony stood up flinging the pillow back onto the bed, "we're done talking about this, I'm going to bed now," Rhodey smirked, "why so quick to sleep, got to get up early to catch Steve's game?" Tony pulled back the covers with one hand, flipping Rhodey off with the other, "no, I'm just tired from the events today, and fyi the game isn't until 2 in the afternoon you fucking jerk" with that said Tony climbed into the bed to the sound of Rhodey's laughter as he turned off the lamp and settled in himself. Tony tossed and turned for nearly an hour before sighing quietly, it was going to be a long night.

A/N: I actually did read that quote on a button in a hot topic store like 2 months ago, I had no idea it was from the Fault in our stars, I actually thought it was song lyrics ^ ^ I do now though because I finally read the book and watched the movie and I'm rambling again, either way, I don't own it, I'm not that brilliant or romantic.

I also should inform you all, that I am working on small drabbles to fill in the missing blanks to this story; those will get posted once this is finally finished, I kind of feel like I'm rushing this, but I also don't want to drag it out too long. Thus my solution to my problem is side stories ^ ^

I have a ton of laundry downstairs screaming "Wash us! Dry us!...Fold us!" but once that's done, I will most likely post chapter 11 today as well ^ ^ yay!


	11. Field Goals and Touchdowns

A/N: I am so sorry, I had such a bad day yesterday I just wanted to go to bed when I got home, but I'm going to make it up to you!

On a side note, most of the information I got from football is both from the internet and my own brief experience playing it in gym class in high school, so sorry for any inconsistencies and misinformation.

**Chapter 11: Field Goals and Touch Downs.**

"You okay man? You look like you're about to wet yourself?" Bucky asked as he geared up, watching Steve critically out of the corner of his eye, Steve shakily nodded, "I don't know why I'm so nervous right now, it's not like I haven't done this a hundred times before, and it's just a normal game."

Bucky secured his shin pads and stood up to face Steve as he pulled his jersey on over his shoulder pads, "not really a normal game though, it's the national competition, we play for money, awards, and many of us for scouting opportunities, it's normal to be nervous."

Steve shrugged, checking himself over, "I'm kind of in it more for the love of the game" he admitted sheepishly, Bucky rolled his eyes, "sure but let's be real for a moment here; you have a lot riding on this tournament, even more so next year, we've known each other a long time man, your mom works hard but it's still not enough to send you to college, so I know you're trying to get scouted for a scholarship."

Steve sighed softly, resting his forehead on his locker door, "ma tries really hard, and I have my own savings from working down at the shop, but yes, a scholarship would take the edge off."

"Steve, you're one of the best players Shield has ever seen, you have nothing to worry about man! We're going to go out there and you, oh fearless captain, will lead us to victory just like you always do, we are going to dominate the field!"

Steve smiled wryly at his long-time friend, "you think so huh?" Bucky nodded, "I know so, besides we have bigger guys on our team, one tackle from us and the opposing team won't be getting back up."

Steve laughed, straightening up and collecting his mouth guard and helmet from the bench behind them, "I have a bit more riding on this game than a scholarship though" he commented dryly checking over his helmet and making sure it was suitable to wear, just as he did before every game.

Bucky raised a curious brow, "what's that?" he asked when Steve didn't volunteer the information, "Tony said if we don't win he's going to blacken my other eye" Steve pointed at the previous black eye Tony had given him a few days prior, it was still healing, having faded a lot more but was still a blotchy purple bruised color.

Bucky couldn't contain the laughter at the reminder of the much shorter boy managing to punch Steve in the face, "it's not that funny Bucky" Steve must've said the same line 100 times a day since he showed up at the stadium food court with the black eye.

"I'm still trying to figure out how that even happened!" Bucky gasped breathlessly in his laughter, Steve rolled his eyes enduringly, "you'd be surprised at how hard he can hit, doesn't look like it but he packs a wallop."

"You're such an old man, wallop? Nobody says that any more" Bucky commented checking over his own helmet, "what do the kids say these days then?" Steve asked jokingly, "he packs one hell of a right hook" Bucky answered promptly.

"Okay fine, Tony packs one hell of a right hook, therefore I do not have any desire to get hit by him again, it's been three days and my eye has only just started healing properly."

Bucky gave a half shouldered shrug, "well the guy was fucking someone on the boxing team, maybe they taught him a few moves outside of the bedroom?"

Steve suddenly tensed, making Bucky frown, "do you have to be so crass about it?" Steve asked clenching his teeth in irritation, "it's me man, I live for dirty humor, what is your problem with Mike anyway? He's a cool dude."

Steve slowly relaxed, "I don't have a problem with him per se, I mean, I'm not exactly fond that he cheated on Tony and acts like it was no big deal."

Bucky blanched, "dude! He told us himself how bad he felt about it, and it was Tony that was cool with it, he even encouraged Mike to date that Shawna chick! Steve, what the hell's going on man?" Steve shook his head, "nothing is going on Bucky, I just think the situation is weird that's all, I mean how do you date someone and still mess around with someone else, even drunk out of your mind you should know that's not a good thing to do."

"Steve" Bucky started gently, "you leave the room every time it rains, you don't tell anyone where you're going, or what you're doing, you come back all grinning like the world just got handed to you, you're suddenly Tony's champion, you know things about him that are odd like how he lives alone, I highly doubt James told you that, and you wouldn't have gotten that information from Mike seeing as how you don't say anything other than hi or bye to him when he's around, so that means Tony gave that bit of intel up, not to mention that random hug after his first competition, now you're implying your incentive for winning this match is to not get another black eye from him, Steve there's something going on."

Steve remained silent for a long period of time before gesturing helplessly at Bucky, "I don't know what you want me to say, we're friends now, friends look out for each other."

"You sure friends is all it is?" Bucky asked quietly, Steve frowned at him, "what else would it be?"

"Steve, I won't judge you, never you, man, from diapers to canes we're friends for life. Nothing you do or say is going to make me think less of you, just take a second, hell take more than a second and just think about it; is it just being a good friend, or is it something more?"

"I'm not crushing on him!" Steve announced vehemently, Bucky's expression could only be read as 'are you serious right now?' "I'm not" Steve implored again, "he's a good guy, and maybe I feel guilty for how everything that went down freshman year, I'm just trying to be a good person, a friend that he deserves."

Bucky nodded, "okay I believe you, but I hold the rights to say 'I told you so' when the time comes" Steve glared half-heartedly at the darker haired teen, "rights denied, that time will never come" he insisted as the coach walked into the locker rooms.

"We done with the chit-chat?" the burly man hollered, "yes coach!" the team hollered back, "alright, so we're up against a mean team, I've checked out their previous games, and they're tough sons of bitches, our defense is strong, and our offense unstoppable, what are we going to do?"

"Bring the tears and pain!" the teams shouted back, "that's what I like to hear! Now get out there and bring the tears and pain!"

Several excited shouts echoed off the hallways as the team made their way up the ramp and into the field they'd be playing on.

Steve was momentarily blinded by the light of the outside when he cleared the ramp and joined his teammates on the sidelines; he looked around and felt another wave of anxiety rise up.

The football arena of the stadium was packed full of people, all loudly cheering and chanting, "whoa, lot more people here than last year" Bucky whistled lowly, Steve nodded silently, searching the stands for their friends.

"There they are!" Steve nearly jumped as Thor's voice boomed behind him, he looked over to the side where Thor was pointing and indeed their friends were gathered there, all shouting encouragements and waving madly.

"My Jane!" Thor practically screamed "They will not even be a challenge for us!" up in the stands Jane laughed as Thor's voice rang out to her. Steve smiled at the couple, they were so good together.

He caught sight of Tony sitting one row down and in front of the others, Rhodey at his side, he waved over to them and laughed when Tony pointed at his own eye and then mimicked a punch at Steve.

Steve grinned brilliantly, giving the smaller boy two thumbs up, an unspoken promise that they wouldn't lose, to which Tony responded by mouthing 'you better not' back at him.

Steve turned away catching Bucky's eye, his best friend simply raised a brow and nodded a head back at where their friends were sitting, Steve just smiled, waving him off and heading over to the referee as the black and white striped shirted man called for the captains of the teams.

"Shield has home field advantage of New York, visiting team; you're call!" The ref explained holding up a coin, "call it!" the coin went into the air and the other captain called out "heads".

The coin came up heads, the other team's captain chose the side of the field they'd be defending and chose to have the ball second. The ref nodded and ordered the captains back to their teams for their huddles.

"Okay guys, huddle up, huddle up." Steve called as he approached his team, the first stringers immediately gathering around him. "We have this," Steve started, "their team may be tough, but we only have 2 losses to 18 wins, our team has the talent and the skill to put theirs in the ground."

The guys all nodded, some grunting in excitement and agreement, "we go out there, and we play the best game we've ever played," Bucky couldn't resist, "that's right, if we lose Iron Man is going to give the good Captain another black eye!"

"Bucky, come on!" Steve chided ignoring the good natured laughter of his teammates, "tiny, little Tony Stark is the one who gave you that shiner?" Steve nodded patiently, waiting for the laughter to die down, "he hits surprisingly hard okay?" Steve quickly interjected before anyone could ask, "And he only got the shot in because I was not expecting it at all."

"Now if we're all done giggling like a bunch of hyenas, we have a game to win, we got the ball first, playing it to you Bucky you got the speed, you get it down those 10 yards, Thor you'll be forward defense, the rest of us will keep the way clear for Bucky, all clear?"

The team nodded at Steve's game play, "good, break!" The teams made their way out to the field taking up their positions. A whistle was blown and the game was on, Bucky took off down the field; he was the fastest on the team and made it a fair way down when Steve threw the ball, grunting as he was tackled to the ground a split second after the throw.

The announcer's voice came over the speaker system as Steve climbed to his feet, letting the crowd know where the game stood.

This continued over and over for the next hour, the teams were evenly matched, "these bastards are tough" Bucky groaned trying to work the kink out of his neck, they were all currently on time out, the other team having sustained an injury to one of their players and called for their three minute rest.

"It's going to be close, captain" another team member commented eyeing the score board, Steve gave the score board a determined look, the large numbers declaring that they were only three points ahead of the other team.

"We have one more play, one more chance to get ahead, we got to go for a touchdown," Bucky pointed out, knowing that Steve already knew this, "we're playing from our line of scrimmage, that's quite a way to travel down too."

Steve sighed tiredly, shoulder aching from a bad fall to the ground from a particularly brutal tackle, "call it captain" Thor spoke seriously, his gaze fierce and determined, they all were.

"The entire time we've been playing we've passed the ball off to our two best runners, let's do something they won't be expecting," "What do you have in mind?" Bucky asked in a serious manner, "I'll run with the ball" he announced.

"Shit dude, you for real right now? This is the biggest field we've played on, and it's over half the field you'll have to get down to get a touchdown."

Steve nodded, "I can do it, I run every day for nearly 12 blocks, I can keep pace, it's worth a shot and no one will see it coming as we haven't done it before, having no need, they'll be surprised giving us the tactical advantage. Let me worry about getting the ball down the other end, you guys worry about keeping them off me."

Time out was called to an end, and the players retook their positions, the whistle was blown and Steve tucked the ball securely under his arm and took off, "look at that ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer's voice shouted, "Captain Rogers is running the ball! Look at him go!"

Steve blocked out the enhanced voice, pushing his all into running down the field, trusting his team to keep him from getting tackled before making it to the end zone, the wind rushed by him, and his legs began to burn.

Another player from the opposite team came up on his right, he pushed forward ignoring the pained grunt as Thor took the player down, just a little more, Steve thought desperately.

"Touch down!" The announcer's voice hollered wildly over the speakers, the crowd went insane with their cheers, screaming loudly.

"That was an impressive play, Shield certainly pulled a fast one on us all ladies and gentlemen, the winners of today's match, Shield High Avengers from New York!"

Steve laughed joyously as his team tackled him, exhilarated in their victory, "son of a bitch!" Bucky called slapping Steve's uninjured shoulder, "you should've seen yourself! Fuck man, you were on fire!" Bucky continued to the shouting agreements of their team.

They made their way back to their end of the field amongst the cheers of the crowd, the coach meeting them with a grin and clapping his hands proudly, "nice play Rogers" he praised, Steve smiled at his teammates, "team effort sir" he responded removing his helmet and wiping the sweat on his forehead off with a towel handed to him by a teammate.

"The points are in, the medalist players of this match" the announcer began, "from Connecticut; Matthew Hudson, Lionel Walterhouse, and Daniel Lewis, from New York James Barnes, Thor Odinson, and Steve Rogers. Good game teams, good game!"

Steve turned to cast a triumphant look at their friends in the stands and was unable to stop the grin from exploding on his face at the sight of Tony taking pictures of the team with his phone, Tony lowered the sleek device and gave Steve a proud look, smiling widely, to which Steve simply gave him two thumbs up, helmet tucked under his arms, making Tony laugh.

A/N: There we go, belated update, so sorry again. Hope you guys liked it.


	12. Challenge Accepted

A/N: Double update to make up for my missed day ^ ^

**Chapter 12: Challenge Accepted.**

"Did you guys see this fucker move?!" Bucky shouted, gesturing to Steve before falling back onto the bed he and Steve shared in their hotel room as their friends found various places to sit or lounge, "it was impressive" Natasha commented idly inspecting the state of the other bed in the room, deeming it acceptable and sitting down.

It was hours after their game, they had one more match to attend afterwards, that was Clint's first match off, he came out as the single most scorer in the entire match, taking medalist, having been able to hit targets further than anyone else on either teams.

It was now just after dinner and the group decided to have a little get together to celebrate their victories, "it wasn't that great" Steve mumbled sheepishly, "I had no idea you could move that fast" Clint said lounging on the floor and kicking off his shoes.

Tony frowned when the landed near him, "that's disgusting" he commented pushing the shoes away from him with his foot before sitting on the floor at the end of the bed where Bucky lay.

"They're shoes man," Tony rolled his eyes, "not what they are, the smell. Ever tried gold bond foot powder? Stops that from happening" he retorted, making a show of pinching his nose and waving his hand in front of his face to ward off the smell, smirking at Clint.

Clint laughed, "Okay princess, let's see you walk around all day and have nice smelling shoes after." Tony grinned cheekily, "I do, I work 5 hour to 10 hour shifts that involve constant movement in the sweltering Malibu heat, and my shoes never smell as bad as yours do."

"Where do you even work?" Bucky asked tilting his head up enough to see Tony, "coffee bar called Surf's up" "how long have you been working there?" Steve asked sitting down beside Tony, keeping a respectful distance.

"Since I moved out to California, got the job my first week living there, coming up to my three year anniversary." Tony answered leaning back against the bed, "pay decent?" Tony shrugged, "pays enough, I only work part time during the school year, 56 hour pay checks, summer I'm full time so it varies from 77 to 86 hour pays."

"You really live on your own?" Clint asked genuinely curious, Tony nodded, not that Clint could see it as he was laying down and staring up at the ceiling. "I actually prefer it, no one's around to bother me unless I invite them over, the only ones that have actually even seen the inside of my house is Rhodey and Mike, Rhodey is my best friend, and Mike, well we were… I can't even say dating with a straight face; we were fucking, and not having parents living with you made that easy."

"I have to ask, why weren't you furious when Mike cheated on you?" Natasha asked, face blank as it usually was, but a certain glint in her eyes belayed her curiosity.

"Well to be honest, I was never actually emotionally attracted to Mike, I was more flattered by how we first met, and after a while when he asked me out, I figured, fuck it, why not?" "How did you meet?" she pressed on, wanting to know more about this boy they'd tormented not so long ago.

"He came up to me when I was done practice one day, said he thought my eyes were beautiful and had to come talk to me just see them up close, which is about the sweetest thing anybody has ever said to me. He kept making comments like that for a few months then we crossed paths in the gym, I was just starting practice he was just finishing and he says 'hey I reckon we should go out sometime' I was flattered so I said yes. But really our entire relationship wasn't normal, we went on one solo date, the rest of the time we were in group settings, we were more friends that occasionally slept together than an actual couple."

Tony paused to take a breath, "because I wasn't emotionally attached to him it was easy to forgive him for the whole sleeping with Shawna thing, I honestly didn't mind, they make a good couple, and I wasn't possessive or jealous about it so why not let them be together? I knew Shawna had a thing for Mike for ages, it broke her heart when she found out we were 'dating' now if we'd been a serious couple then yes, I'd have been undeniably pissed and would never forgive him, but we weren't so I let bygones be bygones and we stayed friends."

There was a bit of a silence after Tony explained himself and his relationship with Mike, "can I ask you guys a question?" At their nods Tony brazenly asked, "it doesn't matter now, I'm over it, I'm just curious, back in freshman year, who took that picture and posted it in the cafeteria?"

"Oh, awkward" Clint joked at the silence that followed Tony's question, Tony rolled his eyes, "really though, whoever took it misread the situation, I wasn't trying to sneak a peek at Steve's dick, I was serving detention and got asked to get the dirty laundry from the lockers, I didn't like going in there, so when I heard the door I hid, I went to check if the coast was clear and there's Steve getting naked. I didn't see anyone else in there, just saw you." Tony directed the last part to Steve who shrugged, "I didn't know anyone else was in there with me, they had to have to been coming out of the showers from the angle the picture was taken."

"We honestly don't know, nobody took claim to it," Natasha finally answered, tilting her head apologetically at Tony, "speaking of showers, I'm going to get you back for that stunt you pulled this morning" Rhodey warned, pointing a threatening finger at Tony who burst into laughter.

"This I got to hear, what happened?" Clint asked propping himself up on his elbows, "this little shit, fucking gave me a polar bear!"

"That sounds dirty" Bucky commented, chuckling, "it's not sexual!" Rhodey yelled, "a polar bear is when you take a shower and someone dumps a bag of flour over your head, sticks like a bitch to your wet skin and is a total pain in the ass to clean up!"

"You're a bit of a prankster!" Clint hollered sitting up fully and turning, pointing at the still laughing Tony, "you should've have seen his face, priceless, absolutely priceless!" Tony got out between laughs.

"You should try getting Clint" Steve smiled mischievously at his archer friend, "nobody has ever managed to successfully full on prank Clint" Tony blinked, astonished, "really?" he asked grinning at the archer.

Clint nodded, smiling smugly, "I am the prank king, and nobody has ever gotten me good." Tony grinned wider, "challenge accepted" Rhodey groaned, "oh God, here we go, look what you've done Steve, this is going to be a nightmare!"

Steve shrugged apologetically, "I'm sorry?" it sounded more like a question than anything else, "damn right you're sorry, I'm going to be living with the back lash of this! Tony is brutal and relentless with pranks, last year he filled the door way of the drama classroom with quick dry cement and painted the loony tunes tunnel on it!"

Clint laughed loudly, joined by Bucky, the others making sounds of amusement. Tony sat amongst them grinning with self-pride.

"How did you manage that?" Bucky asked once the laughter settled down, "I figured out how to hack the school's security feed to play on a continuous loop so we wouldn't get caught on tape, after that it was easy to disable the alarms on the side where the drama room was, and after that all I had to do was unlock a back door and bring in the cement, took nearly three hours. The next day the drama students show up to the loony tunes tunnel and one of Wile E Coyote's picket signs saying 'you've been looney tuned'. To this day, no one knows it was me that did it." Tony was rather proud of this.

"Why do that though? You have a grudge against them?" Steve asked, stretching out contently.

"No, no, I just did it for shits and giggles, everybody got a laugh out of it, and to clean up all you had to do was hose it down with water, harmless prank really, but totally worth it to see the look on the drama teacher's face, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry."

"A prank war with you is going to be awesome" Clint announced climbing to his feet, " I should warn you, I start small, but it escalates quickly"

Clint grinned, "I look forward to it" he responded heading into the bathroom, "quick!" Tony whispered once the door was shut, "somebody grab me some ice from the bucket" Bucky eagerly got up and handed the metal container to Tony, who took out a few frozen cubes and gave the bucket back.

The others watched as he grabbed one of Clint's shoes, placing the cubes into it and giving it a light shake to get the cubes down to the toe of the shoe before carefully placing it back exactly the way it was.

A few seconds later and Clint came back out, not paying attention to the grin on Bucky's face or the smirks on the others, "I say friends, I am in the mood for the cream made from ice, shall we go find a vendor?" Thor asked standing and watching Clint intently.

"I'm in" Tony agreed standing up and masterfully acting like nothing had happened while Clint was in the bathroom. "Yes, a thousand times yes, fucking ice cream, let me put my shoes on" Clint agreed, he put the shoe without ice in it on first, then yelped when he put the other one on.

"What the fuck?!" he shouted taking his shoe off and shaking out the ice cubes, "game on!" Tony yelled laughing with the others, "ice in the shoe!" Clint laughed, "my foot is soaked," he whined wiping his socked foot on the carpet.

"It's not soaked! It was three ice cubes and they haven't even been in there long enough to melt!" Tony retorted still laughing, "Oh yea? I feel the bottom of my foot-" Clint bent over, lifting his foot and feeling the dampened patch, "it's wet, I feel my shoe-" Clint pushed his hand into his shoe, "it's soaked!"

He held the shoe out to Tony, "put your hand in there" he demanded waving the shoe around, "I really don't want too" Tony laughed backing away, "no come on, you soaked my shoe, you can feel how soaked it is," Clint followed Tony's retreat, "I'm not sticking my hand in your shoe" Tony insisted still backing away until he reached the door to the hall.

"Well played Iron Man, well played, you know this is war right? I'm going to get you back so bad," Clint warned dropping his shoe and shoving his foot in it.

Tony grinned widely, "I wouldn't have it any other way, well come on lovelies, ice cream is awaiting us!" Tony yelled opening the door and stepping into the hall, followed by the amused group of friends.

A/N: A prank war, who shall be the victor?!


	13. I'd Say it Was An Even Match

A/N: Hey, we're almost getting there, so very, very close!

**Chapter 13: I'd Say It Was An Even Match.**

Tony had not been joking when he said he started small, the pranks quickly escalated to a full blown war, Clint retaliating from the ice in his shoe by strong arming Rhodey into letting him in their room so he could mess with Tony's shampoo.

The result was Tony walking around for three days with bright purple hair, to say he wasn't amused was an understatement.

Tony responded by lacing all of Clint's socks with cat nip, how the other guy managed not to notice, was a mystery, that stuff wasn't exactly invisible. But the sigh of Clint running down the street with a mass of cats chasing after him was an amusing sight.

Then there was short sheeting each other's bed sheets, glue in hair gel, a walkie-talkie hidden underneath the other's bed where the one who'd hidden it there would start talking through it in the middle of the night.

"You guys nearly done?" Rhodey asked one morning at breakfast, eyeing the dishevelled forms of Tony and Clint as they watched each other cautiously while eating their breakfast.

"I don't know, are we done Tony?" Clint asked, staring intently at the slighter form, Tony smirked "only if you admit that I've gotten you good a couple of times."

There was an intense silence around the group, "you certainly didn't out match me though" Clint said thoughtfully, "but I did get you good with the cat nip" Tony chuckled.

"I am not conceding defeat, but I will admit, you're much better at pulling pranks than I'd have thought." Clint finally said; the others sagged in relief, "does that mean it's over?" Rhodey asked hopefully, it'd been hell living with the aftermath of each prank.

Not to mention how badly he wanted to kick Clint's ass for the walkie-talkie thing, which was just annoying, and creepy. In fact, Rhodey hadn't slept a wink that night.

"Okay, agreed, it was a tie" Tony laughed, reaching over the table to shake Clint's hand, "good times, good times" he chuckled, Clint nodding his head in agreement.

"So we have a free day today, what do you guys want to do?" Steve asked, finishing the last bite of his toast, "movie day!" Tony immediately interjected before anyone else could offer up suggestions. "You, asshole, have never seen Star Wars and that's just not forgivable."

"Steve! You've never seen Star Wars?!" Clint gasped, placing a hand over his chest where his heart was, Steve groaned, "I was never into it." He weakly defended as the group stood and gathered their trays, dumping the waste and leaving them on the receptacle before heading back to the hotel.

Several hours later, with a short stop for lunch and dinner, found the group lounging in Steve and Bucky's room, Steve muttering under his breath, attention focused solely on the movie.

"No…" Steve whispered, "Luke… I am your father" Steve jumped up from where he sat on the chair in the corner of the room, "NO!" he shouted, looking heartbroken at the scene on the television.

'Steve calm down, it's a movie man" Bucky laughed, Steve despondently shook his head, "no, no, no, how did this happen?!" Steve yelled, disbelievingly.

"Well" Tony began snickering at how distraught Steve was, "Anakin banged Queen Amidala got her pregnant, and fell to the dark side."

"Wait… does that mean, he made out with his sister?" Steve asked horrified, the group burst into laughter, "yes, totally made out with his sister, but in their defense, they didn't know they were related."

Bucky chose that moment to join in, "they must've had a very awkward conversation after they found out they're siblings."

"I don't even want to think about it" Steve moaned, "I think it was an afterthought" Rhodey spoke up, looking thoughtfully at the movie on pause, "what do you mean?" Bucky asked, "Well, originally Luke was the hero of the movie right? And the hero gets the girl, but Han Solo was a fan favorite so the script was rewritten so that Leia and Han Solo got together, the brother-sister relationship of Luke and Leia was an after-thought, wasn't it, isn't that how it happened?" Rhodey asked, turning to look at Tony.

"I have no idea, I don't read too much into it Rhodey, I just enjoy the movies" Tony shrugged.

"Can we finish watching this now?" Natasha asked, hand hovering over the laptop they were using, having hooked it up to the rooms' television with an HDMI cord, she'd paused the movie just as Steve had his little break down over the reveal of Luke's father.

"I can't believe we've watched all these movies in one day" Rhodey laughed, "well it's nearly 2 in the morning so that had something to do with it maybe?" Bruce responded gesturing for Natasha so start the movie again.

"This has been fun, but I'm calling it quits" Natasha said, standing and stretched, "I'm out too" Bruce followed bidding the others good night and leaving with Natasha, "yea I'm gone, my backside is numb from this" Rhodey left too, followed by Clint.

Tony lingered with the others for another half way, Loki had left a few minutes ago, followed by Thor and a sleepy Jane, "will you be alright to get home?" Thor murmured into Jane's hair as she leaned against him for support on the way out.

"I should be" she responded, mumbling sleepily, Thor frowned, "allow me to escort you home, I do not wish for anything to happen to you." Jane nodded tiredly, Thor leading her from the room, calling a soft good night to the others.

"Guess I'm gone too" Tony announced quietly, standing and trying not to disturb Bucky who'd passed out, Tony suddenly frowned looking around the room, "where are the other two you guys share this room with?" He asked as he made his way to the door, Steve a few steps behind him.

Steve shrugged, "they don't usually come back until late if not at all, they usually hang out with their friends in the other room."

"Right, well then, I shall see you tomorrow I guess" Tony opened the door and stepped out into the hall, Steve nodded, lingering in the door way, not quiet in the hall but not exactly in the room.

"Thanks for the movie day, it was a good idea" he said, leaning on the door frame, Tony smiled "you're welcome, try not to get too worked up with the next ones" he laughed softly, "things get real insane by the end of it."

Steve winced, "please tell me Luke doesn't die" Tony shrugged, "I'm not saying anything, just watch the next movie, you'll see what happens."

"You're purposely teasing me now" Steve moaned, shaking his head in disbelief, "just watch them" Tony ordered, waving and disappearing down the hall towards the elevators.

Steve watched him go, not moving from his spot until he heard the soft ding of the elevator arriving echo down the hall, he sighed softly and went back into the room, shutting down his laptop, they'd used his for the movies, and silently cleaning up the room a little before changing and climbing into bed.

It was a good day, he mused, rolling over and burying his face in the pillow, he'd had fun, watching something new with his friends and he enjoyed the series a lot, but enjoyed the company more.

A/N: So I do enjoy star wars, but that's something that always messed me up, Luke and Leia did kiss, but they're siblings and someone told me that the director had the script rewritten to get Leia with Han solo and said that she and Luke were siblings as an afterthought, is that right?


	14. To Those We've Lost

A/N: I ended up deleting a few chapters I'd written, so this kind of makes a massive jump, sad talks ahead just to warn you, not exactly a happy chapter.

**Chapter 14: To Those We've Lost.**

"I'm in the semi-finals now" Tony spoke softly, absent-mindedly fiddling with the sleeves on his sweater, "I really wish you could see me now, I'm healthier, not just physically, and I'm doing good at my new school, and I have this best friend named James, but I call him Rhodey, and he's awesome."

Tony looked away from his fidgeting hands and to the grave marker that bore the name Edwin Jarvis, "I'm sorry I haven't been by as often as I'd have liked too, you must be lonely."

The grave was as silent as ever, a fresh arrangements of flowers left lovingly on the marker, "would you believe that I'm even friends with the guys that tormented me at Shield?" Tony gave a soft laugh.

"It's crazy Jarvis, I would never have expected that something like that would ever happen in a million years, and things are good now, better than good." He continued voice gentle.

Tony heaved a sigh as he settled on the ground, sitting cross legged in front of the grave, "I haven't really seen or spoken to Howard or Maria, so I can't tell you how they're doing, good I guess, Howard made the front pages again, something to do with a new long-range missile."

There were a few minutes of silence in which Tony fondly regarded the grave, "I really miss you Jarvis, more than anything. I got to get back now, I promise I'll come by and see you before I have to leave to go back to Cali, I just want you to know, I'm not afraid to be me anymore, I'm proud to be here, happy to be here, and I know if things go downhill again, I won't be alone, I have Rhodey and the others, and I have you, I know you'll always watch over me. Take care Jarvis, I love you."

Tony stood and ran his hand affectionately across the grave marker, lingering for a moment before walking away, tucking his hands into his sweater pockets.

It was nearly an hour later when Tony entered his hotel room, only mildly surprised to find it packed with everyone, "what's going on guys?" Tony asked shedding his sweater and climbing to sit beside Rhodey on the bed.

It was a Saturday and with that Bruce and Jane were able to join the others for a bit, they were in the midst of a rest period where the final matches were being sorted by the tournament officials.

Clint lying languidly on the floor on his stomach, head cushioned by his hands lifted his head to look at Tony "Where were you?" He asked, curious.

"Visiting a dear friend" Tony responded, stretching his arms over his head and yawning, "I have to ask, I'm a curious person, who's your friend?" Tony sighed softly, a sad look flickering over his face.

"His name was Edwin Jarvis, and he was the family butler, pretty much raised me my whole life, up until he passed away." He answered quietly, "and he remains to this day, the greatest person I have ever known."

There was a sombre silence, "My parents died when I was young" Natasha suddenly spoke up, she had a vacant look on her face, like someone seeing the past over again, her eyes distant.

"I don't have many memories of them, I was taken in by a… let's call him a friend, of my father's and he's raised me for the better part of my life."

"Do you miss them?" Bruce asked gently, fixing Natasha with a sympathizing look, Natasha shrugged, "hard to miss what you can't remember" she answered vaguely, blinking her eyes and snapping back to the present time.

"So when did you move to America?" Tony asked, leaning sideways and lounging on the bed, "I was 11 when we moved, times were hard on my guardian so he decided to move us here, land of opportunities and all that."

Natasha sighed a soft breath, "the hardest part wasn't leaving my life behind, it was learning how to speak English, so many different words that sound the same, sometimes spelt the same, but mean different things, it was very frustrating trying to communicate the first little while we were here."

"How long did it take you?" Tony asked, Natasha hummed, "about a year to learn it properly, once I got the hang of it, it wasn't that terrible, just frustrating."

"I had the same problem with French" Tony laughed, "you speak French?" Steve asked, surprised. Tony nodded, "there's a Stark Industries office in Paris, I went with Howard a few times on business trips, he left me with a day care type thing a lot of the time, hard to talk to the other kids when they don't understand what you're saying, so I learnt their language instead."

"Dude! You speak French, what does this mean 'voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir'?" Clint asked excitedly, "you've been watching Moulin rouge again haven't you?" Natasha asked with a raised brow, Clint shrugged, "what can I say? Nicole Kidman, what a babe."

"Do you want to sleep with me tonight?" Tony said, staring at Clint amusedly, "Uh…I like you Tony, but I don't like you like that" Clint stuttered nervously, Tony rolled his eyes, "no idiot, that's what it means, voulez vous coucher avec moi ce soir, do you want to sleep with me tonight? Or Do you want to go to bed with me tonight?"

"Oh" Clint laughed, "makes sense," "Do you speak any other languages?" Jane asked, still chuckling a little at Clint, Tony nodded, "I speak fluently in English, obviously, French, Italian, Mandarin, and Cantonese, and Japanese, and I know a little in German, and Russian."

"Why so many languages?" Bruce asked, frowning in thought, Tony shrugged, "I learned French because I think it's a beautiful language and I've been to France a few times, Italian I learned because Maria is Italian, and back before shit hit the fan, she'd speak to me in it while cooking, really I learnt it from listening to her, after a while I picked up what she was saying, I didn't actually take formal lessons in it until a year or so ago. The rest, I don't have an acceptable answer" Tony laughed, "I like learning new things and Jarvis knew how to speak Mandarin and Cantonese, so I learnt most of it from him."

Tony's expression suddenly fell melancholic, "he loved to travel and he's been pretty much all over the world. Jarvis used to say that people always have something to teach you, even if you didn't realize it at first, so listen to the way they speak, the stories they tell, the songs they sing, the way they dress, the way they interact with each other, and you'll see that there's all sorts of things you never knew about the world."

"You really miss him don't you?" Jane spoke softly into the sudden silence of the room, Tony nodded, eyes cast downwards at the red sweater he'd left on the bottom corner of the bed.

"Before I transferred schools, I was in a private boarding school, Jarvis was the only one who was happy to see me when I came home. He taught me to enjoy life, that everything happens for a reason, and no matter how hard it gets, you can never go back so may as well keep moving forward, he taught me that there is always something good to be found in the bad, that every cloud really does have a silver lining, you just have to look for it to see it. I'll always miss him; he's still a big part of my life."

Tony leaned forward and picked the sweater up, running his hand over the soft fabric fondly, "this was the last gift I ever got from him, and it's my most prized possession. I saw it in a store and loved the color of it, red's my favorite color, and I mentioned it to him offhandedly, just in passing that I saw a sweater I liked and wanted to get as soon as I got the chance to go back for it. A few days later, I had a really bad day, came home and found it folded neatly on my bed, he'd left a note saying that sometimes it's good to give a gift for no reason, never underestimate how much a little kindness can brighten up someone's day. This sweater, kind of seems silly to say, but it represented in that moment that no matter how bad my life got, I had Jarvis, he was the only one that cared, that there was an adult in my life that gave even an inch of a damn. He died a week later."

Rhodey stood from the bed, and began passing out cans of soda he had stashed in a drawer, he cracked his open, gesturing for everyone to do the same. "I can say that we've all lost someone important to us at some point, a parent, a guardian, a friend, or even a pet. So a toast, to those we've loved, and lost, but will see again." There was a sombre rising of the soda cans, and a quiet murmur of a toast given to the memory of those that'd never leave their hearts.

A/N: Bit of a solemn chapter, but I felt it was needed, give everyone insight to the struggles some of them have had.


	15. Ending Ceremonies

A/N: My internet has been out all day, so I've had nothing to do but write, and that's why this happened, 3 chapters…BOOM!

**Chapter 15: Ending Ceremonies.**

In the next couple of weeks that passed the finals for the tournament were completed, today being Friday was the ending ceremonies, the students all due to leave Sunday morning.

"I hate this fucking thing" Tony groaned fighting with the zipper on his uniform jacket, each school's various sports teams all had matching track uniforms, the teams from Beach Field was a deep blue color with black stripes and proclaimed their sport on the back in white, they were mandatory to wear to the opening and closing ceremonies.

"I like mine" Rhodey chuckled zipping up the jacket of his own uniform, the white letters declaring Basketball across his shoulders. "You just like any reason to dress in a uniform," Tony grumbled finally catching the zipper and pulling it up.

"You'd think you'd be a little more excited, you got first medal in all your matches and a nice little cash prize to go with it." Rhodey pointed out crouching down to tie his shoes more securely.

"The money isn't what I came for, I came to see how I stacked up and to enjoy my sport" Tony responded turning to grab his own shoes out of his duffel bag, the white letters proclaiming Gymnastics rolled with his movements as he bent to put them on and tie them up.

"Besides, the cash prize is pretty much enough to cover the amount of time I'm off work for," Rhodey frowned "that's kind of shitty, you don't even get extra cash for coming out and competing."

Tony laughed, "True, but 8 weeks off work isn't anything I have to worry about now, I did win enough points in my matches for the cash prizes."

Rhodey nodded, making sure he had everything before heading to the door, "you're not going to be starving when we get home are you? 8 weeks is a long time off work, and that's a lot of money you're out on."

Tony followed Rhodey out into the hall shaking his head negatively, the other two boys they roomed with long gone down to the stadium field where the ceremonies were being held. "No I'm good, even if I wasn't a featuring medalist it's not like I have massive bills to pay, Howard takes care of the amenities, my groceries don't cost a whole lot seeing as how it's just me feeding myself, and the only hard bill I have is my phone bill and I make sure it never goes over my plan fees, so I have a lot of money stashed away in a savings account for college and in case shit ever happens."

"So long as you're not starving to death" Tony smiled up at his friend, squinting against the light as they left the hotel and made their way to the stadium.

"What the fuck?!" Clint shouted upon seeing the two boys walking up, "your uniforms are so low key, ours are just obnoxious!" Tony smirked, "suits you well then" he commented eyeing the archer decked out in a red and white uniform.

Clint flipped Tony off before stalking away to the entrance of the stadium, "he just doesn't like wearing the uniform" Natasha commented dryly following after Clint, the group followed a few moments later.

"So you excited? You're a featuring medalist" Steve asked smiling down at Tony.

"Yes and no, I'm happy I did well enough to place, but at the same time, other competitors have worked harder and longer than I have, I kind of feel like I'm stealing the moment." Tony answered shrugging his shoulders.

Steve smiled wryly, "I know how that feels, I never used to be good at football, then I hit a growth spurt and then I got real good at it, want to know a secret?"

Tony stared at him expectantly as the group paused inside the main entrance, searching for their schools signs to meet up with their team mates for the opening marches, Steve and Tony lagging behind.

"I wasn't actually up for captaincy, Bucky was, he wanted it so badly, and then I started playing and coach gave it to me. I felt awful, really guilty about it, Bucky's been playing since elementary, he worked so hard to even get put into consideration for captaincy, then I come along and I've never played before high school I had such bad asthma, but I had the same natural talent to it that you do to gymnastics, so I got the pin and the position and Bucky didn't."

"How did Bucky take it, when they over looked him for you?" Tony questioned, curious about the revelation, "it was tense for a while, went a couple of weeks without really seeing or speaking, I was getting ready to give up the title when suddenly, it's like it never happened."

Steve sighed sadly, "Bucky just pretended it didn't bother him, but I could tell it did, sometimes, when I'm making a play, I can see it in his eyes, that thought 'that should be me' and I feel so damn bad about it. But, I love my sport, I love what I do and I love being the captain, I may not have put in the same number of years Bucky has, but I've put in the same amount of dedication and determination,"

Steve stared long and silently into Tony's eyes, "and you know what, so have you. I can see that in the way you move on the mats, or on the bars, and even the rings, you may not have been doing gymnastics your whole life, but you put the same energy, and dedication into it as someone that has."

Tony nodded understandingly, "I get what you're saying, thanks" Steve smiled, "no problem" they all parted ways heading to their respective schools, shortly after the march began, each school entering the field amidst the cheers of the crowds that came to watch the ending ceremonies.

It was long, taking the majority of the day, with thank you speeches and acknowledgments of sponsors and the list of names of those who got what number of medals, by the end of it Tony was ready to pull his hair out.

"Thank fuck that's over" Tony exclaimed as he and Rhodey entered their hotel room, Tony quickly stripping off his jacket and pants, "man I see you naked more times than anyone else" Rhodey complained, removing his own jacket.

"Don't act like you don't like it" Tony retorted slipping on his favored red sweater and a pair of worn in black jeans. "And I'm wasn't even completely naked, dick-wad."

"We leave Sunday, what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Rhodey asked, redressing in a plain black shirt and sweat pants, "going to go visit Jarvis," Tony hesitated for a brief second, "want to come?" Rhodey blinked in surprise, "sure" he answered after a few awkward moments of silence.

"Hey guys, where are you two off too?" Bucky asked as Tony and Rhodey ran into the group, freshly changed and in the hotel lobby.

"I'm going to visit Jarvis, Rhodey is coming with me" Tony answered, after a moment invited the others along, "Tony, I'm just wondering, how did Jarvis pass?" Clint asked solemnly, "Brain aneurism, I was with him when it happened. One second he was folding up the patio furniture to put away, the next he's on the deck not moving or breathing."

Tony answered softly, not looking at them, just keeping his gaze focused on the sidewalk.

"That must've been hard, having to watch him go" Natasha spoke quietly, Tony nodded, "for the longest time Jarvis was the only person who ever cared about me, he used to say if he could he'd adopt me and we'd move back to his home town in England and open up a bakery."

Tony gave a broken laugh, feeling the familiar tears weld up in his eyes, "he really liked baking, he made these awesome French rolls that were amazing when they were fresh out of the oven and with butter on them, he'd make them for Sunday dinner, every single Sunday, a roast of some kind with those damn French rolls."

Tony paused in his steps, taking a moment to steady himself, "it's alright Tones" Rhodey murmured, placing a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. Tony took a deep breath and lifted his head, resolutely ignoring the looks of pity and sympathy on their faces.

The rest of the journey was done in silence; they made a stop at a florist where Tony bought the usual arrangement for Jarvis.

The group entered the cemetery silently and respectfully, Tony led them to the plot that held Jarvis' grave, upon reaching it he gently lowered the flowers at the base of the marker, lovingly positioning them.

"Hey Jarvis," Tony began, feeling just a bit self-conscious as the others waited behind him, able to hear the words he spoke. "I'm sorry I haven't had the chance to come sooner since last time, I'd like to introduce you to my friends."

Tony waved the others forward, "this is my bestie, James, but I call him Rhodey." Rhodey awkwardly said hello to the grave marker, feeling like he was intruding on a private moment. "That's Clint, Natasha, Thor and Loki, Bucky, and Steve."

The others came forward to pay their respects to the man who loved Tony like his own son, "Jane and Bruce had class today that they couldn't miss." Tony explained, there was a respectful moment of silence, "Tones, we'll see you out front, give you a few private moments" Rhodey whispered, Tony nodded waiting as the group said their goodbyes to the grave marker and walked off silently.

"I never told you how much you mean to me" Tony trailed off, choking back a sob, "I love you is such a tricky thing isn't it? Tell a person I love you too much, begins to lose its effect, don't say it enough and then what? How will they ever know?"

Tony did nothing to wipe the tears away as they streamed down his face, he took a stuttering breath, remaining silent for a few moments, "I never told you enough that I love you, you are more to me than just a butler, you're the father that Howard could never and can never be, and I love you so much Jarvis, and I will never stop missing you."

More tears as the minutes passed by, "thank you for always being there when I needed you the most. I hope that through the rest of my life, I can be someone that you'd be proud of, I hope I can live the way you'd like me to live and be happy and free and do all the things you said we'd do if we could have ever gone through with the adoption plan."

Tony laughed haltingly, "I'm going to visit England, go and see where you're from, I'm going to learn all those things you wanted to teach me how to do, and then I'm going to open up a bakery, and call it Edwin's Bakery, and there I'll sell those French rolls you made, and those cherry cheese Danishes that always went so good with a cup of coffee, and those little cupcakes you'd make for me on my birthday. I'll know you'll be there with me, I know you'll always watch over me, see you later Jarvis."

Tony slowly made his way back to entrance, where the others waited for him; he cast a glance back and paused mid step, he got the funny impression that he was being watched, frowning he turned around entirely, scanning the expanse of the cemetery.

It was completely empty except for him, frowning deeper Tony turned back on his heels and started walking again, and stopping short a few steps later when the same feeling of being watched over came him.

It was soft, a very fleeting touch, but it happened, a gentle pat on his shoulder, and a faint impression of a voice long missed.

Tony was not one to believe in the paranormal, believed that ghosts or spirits didn't exist, but a small part buried deep inside, believed that it'd been Jarvis, simply visiting to say he heard Tony.

Tony was grinning by the time he made it back to the others, "you good there Tones?" Rhodey asked, wondering at the happy look on Tony's face.

Tony nodded, "I'm golden baby, fine and dandy like sugar and candy" he winked moving ahead of the others, they followed behind him bewildered at the sudden up beat to his mood.

Tony paid their wonder no mind as they crossed the street and headed back to the subway, Jarvis' final words playing in his head though he did not physically hear them; _I love you too, Tony._

A/N: I'm a firm believer in the paranormal, so I had to throw something in there ^ ^ it's funny, my grandmother passed away two years ago, and shortly after she passed, my brother and I were home, just us two, and we were talking in the hallway, and we both heard her voice. Distinct, clear as day, it was insane; she'd been gone for about a month at that point. Sometimes we can still hear her every now and then, just talking. So I like to think Jarvis visited Tony at least once after his passing.


	16. Summer Plans

A/N: Well then, I have another 3 chapters coming to you guys today, I got a lot accomplished Monday when my internet was out.

Hope you enjoy!

**Chapter 16: Summer Plans.**

"I can't even with you right now" Tony laughed as he watched Rhodey attempt to do a hand stand, "you make it look so damn easy" he complained as he fell over for the umpteenth time, landing with a soft oomph on the mats.

"I guess when you got it, you got it, when you don't, you don't" Tony chuckled helping Rhodey to his feet. They parted from New York with their medals and their cash prizes, and most importantly with new friends.

They were a couple of weeks into summer vacation, it was early July and already the boredom was setting in, well for Rhodey it was. Tony was now working full time again and was unavailable for 8-9 hours a day five days a week, and a lot of their other friends were away with their families.

"Whatever man, I'm so done with this today" Rhodey grumbled good-naturedly as he stretched his sore muscles "shall we?" he asked gesturing to the door of the gymnastics room at the gym they frequented.

"Yea, I have to work at 1 anyway and I want to shower before then" Tony complied following Rhodey out of the room and to the changing room to get their stuff.

Half an hour later found them sitting on the bus heading back to Tony's house, "I should find a job" Rhodey announced out of the blue, Tony frowned, "why's that?" he knew Rhodey didn't need any help paying for college or university, his grandparents were really well off and had trust funds set aside for their grandchildren's education, funds that Rhodey's parents added too over the years.

"I'm bored as shit, you work all the time, everyone goes away for summer vacation and I'm dying of boredom here" Tony laughed, "Why Rhodey, would you like some cheese with your wine?"

Rhodey glowered at Tony, "that was terrible, you don't get to make jokes anymore, I am revoking your joking privileges." Tony laughed harder, "it was funny because it was terrible, you know if you're so bored why don't you go mingle with people from other schools? Or even some out of towners, a lot of teens hang out at the beaches during the summer, go meet some new people"

Rhodey suddenly snapped his head up and stared at Tony with an excited expression, "or, hear me out" Tony raised a curious brow, "what are you planning?" He asked cautiously, "you've got that big house all to yourself and you've got like what, ten guest rooms?"

Tony frowned, seeing where Rhodey was going, "five guest rooms, let me guess you want to invite the gang from New York down here for a visit, and want me to let them stay in my house?"

Rhodey nodded enthusiastically, "why not? You've got the room, and this way they don't have to fight for a hotel, it is tourist season." Tony sighed in annoyance, "I don't think I'd be terribly comfortable with people I don't know all that well in my house, more so when I'm at work and not there."

"You got no problems with me staying in your house" Rhodey argued, "and you do know them" Tony shook his head, "I've known you for nearly three years, and it was months before you even saw what my house looked like from the outside, and weeks after that before you saw the inside, I only just got to know those guys and I'm not sure how okay I'll be with leaving my former tormentors unattended in my home."

Rhodey nodded, "okay I see where you're coming from, but how about they're not unattended and just wondering around?" The bus pulled up to their stop and they quickly got off, heading down the street towards Tony's house.

"What if, we invite them down for like a week or two, in that time I stay at your house, that way I'm there when you're not and I can stop them from wrecking up the place, going where they're not supposed to go like your workshop and bedroom, and not let them bring strangers into the house or throw any parties you're not okay with?"

Tony kicked off his shoes, pushing them to the side with his foot and stepped further into his house, "I guess that'll be okay, but you have to stay on them, I'm not entirely at the blind trust stage with them yet, we still talk, they've got my number and I text a fair bit with them, but not blind trust yet."

Rhodey grinned, "So you'll let them stay?" Tony sighed and reluctantly nodded, "yes, but they have to chip in for groceries, and clean up after themselves and do their own laundry I am not a fucking maid."

"Score!" Rhodey hollered, "Take a shower, we'll call them after and invite them" Tony nodded and headed upstairs. Half an later found him and Rhodey sitting at the kitchen island, with Rhodey's phone on speaker and dialing Bucky's number.

"You've got Bucky" he answered sounding a little distracted, "You seriously answer your phone like that?" Tony asked smirking at Rhodey who was stifling his laughter behind his hand. "Tony? I thought this was Rhodey" Bucky laughed, "it is, you're on speaker" Rhodey answered.

"What are you doing right now?" Rhodey asked shifting on the bar stool seat, "currently kicking Steve and Clint's ass in call of duty" Bucky answered, they could hear Clint in the background making a dismayed noise, "I swear you fucking cheat!" Bucky laughed at Clint, "nope you just suck hard core, anyway guys what's up?"

"Is everyone there, or is it just you three?" Rhodey asked, casting an excited smile at Tony, "it's like having a puppy" Tony muttered rolling his eyes jokingly.

"All of us here" Bucky answered, his tone curious, "sweet dawg, put me on speaker" the voices calling out hellos to Rhodey and Tony let them know they were on speaker.

"So here's the thing" Tony started, "I've got this big house, with enough room to put you guys up, how would you all like to come spend a week or two in Malibu with us?"

"Fuck yes! Hello babes in bikinis!" Clint shouted not even giving Tony enough time to finish the question completely, "how will we get up there?" Steve voice asked, "Two choices, you can fly out or bus it out."

Rhodey answered, steadfastly not paying attention to Tony's inquisitive look, "really?" Jane's soft voice echoed up the speaker, "yea girl, it's like a 43 hour drive, so you'll be on the bus a while, and there's two transfers where travelers can stay in a hostel overnight for like twenty bucks, flying out will cost like $300 to $500, busing down is $40 for the two overnight hostel stays, and roughly $140 for the actual bus ticket."

Tony was now staring at Rhodey, who made it a point not to make eye contact, "that seems like a lot of money, not to mention getting food on the road, and I'll have to book time off work, can't really afford it." Steve's voice was apologetic and heavy with regret.

Tony sighed, caving in to his internal debate, "hang on a second" he spoke up, removing his own phone and rapidly typing a quick text out. Small chatter started up on the other end, Bucky could be heard; no matter how softly he spoke, telling Steve he could front him the money to go and that Steve could pay him back when he could.

Tony's phone whistled, alerting him to a response, "okay so I just texted Howard's secretary, she says there's a jet not being used from July 16th to July 30th so I can fly you guys out free of charge, that gives us roughly two weeks. However, because I am living half way on my own dime here, if you guys wouldn't mind pitching in say $50 each on groceries?"

"Dude, that is perfect!" Clint called out, his voice ringing with excitement, "I can do that" Steve agreed, it was better than spending $180+ and he really did want to go.

"Awesome, it's settled!" Rhodey grinned, happy they'd be coming down to visit, "indeed, I will let security know, you guys show up at the landing strip, it's the private bunker at the JFK international airport, you can't miss it, and bring I.D, security won't let you through if you can't prove you are who you say you are." Tony warned, "what if we don't have a driver's license?"

Tony stared at the phone surprised at Jane's question, "any form of I.D will do, doesn't have to be a driver's license, so long as it's got your picture and full name on it, I mean fuck; you could even use your school I.D card if you've still got it."

"That answers that" Bucky chuckled, "so when should we do this? Steve you have plenty of time to book off work right?" Steve spoke an affirmative, "excellent, so July 16th to the 30th?"

Tony spoke up quickly, "better make that the 16th to the 28th, the plane is scheduled to be in Milan by August second, it needs 24 hours for a maintenance check, and since I'm technically using it without Howard's knowledge, better to give the crew men an extra day or two to do their checks."

"You won't get in trouble with him for this will you?" Bruce asked softly, a hint of worry in his tone, "no, no it's actually… my plane, not Howard's, he just likes to think it's his so he demands I tell him when I'm using it." Tony admitted.

"How the fuck do you own a plane?" Bucky asked astonished, "bit of a story, in a nut shell, the plane used to be Howard's but he drunkenly bet me I couldn't solve a particular math problem faster than him, I asked what I'd get if I could, and he said anything I wanted, I picked the plane because I wanted an exit plan for when I was older if I ever decided to get up the guts to make a run for it…I don't know why I told you that, but anyway, he lost the bet and had to sign over one of the company planes to me, so yea…I own the plane. I just don't have much use of it now, so I let the company keep using it for fetching foreign investors and shit. But the ownership papers are here with me in Malibu, so no, I won't get into trouble for sending it to get you guys, just don't make a mess in it."

The rest of the conversation was spent hashing out the finer details of the trip, what time the plane would take off, how they would get to the airport, and how they'd get from the airport to Tony's house.

"So what's your address man?" Bucky asked, a shuffle of paper telling them he was writing the information down, "oh right, it's uh 10880 Malibu Point, 90265 Malibu, California."

"Tones man, you should take the first couple of days they're here off work," Rhodey said as he hung up the phone a few minutes later, "This was not a spur of the moment idea was it?" Tony accused, rounding on Rhodey.

Rhodey scoffed, not looking at Tony, "why would you think that?" he asked getting up to get himself a drink from the fridge.

"You had bus routes and hostels practically mapped out as well as the cost of the trip, you totally planned this and you were just waiting for the right time it spring it on me!" Rhodey laughed nervously, "nah man, you're crazy."

"You are a terrible liar" Tony deadpanned, Rhodey sighed defeated, "okay maybe I did put some thought into it a bit, but come on! They're friends, and it'd be awesome to have them come see us down here."

Tony couldn't stop the chuckle from coming out, "that point is conceded, but really, don't try to hide shit from me again, you're bad at it." Rhodey laughed and agreed.

"But hey, we're set, July 16th at 2:00pm we've got company!" Tony chuckled and stood, needing to go upstairs to get his bag ready for work, "I swear it's like we're married" he joked turning around heading up the staircase to his room.

Tony packed up his uniform and zipped his bag shut, in under 11 days he'd have a house full of people, and sure he'd hung with them at the tournament, but there he'd had the hotel room to disappear too, now they'd be here in his house, invading in his personal space all the time.

And if he was being completely honest, he didn't know how he'd handle Steve in such close quarters for so long.

A/N: Yes, I totally made up those prices on how much it costs to get from New York to California, I did look at airlines and the cheapest round trip I could find was $323, and the bus lines was $137 but I have no idea to be honest. I am not from the States, never have been there would totally love to go though.


	17. Natural States

A/N: I'm basing some of the description of the house, the outside of it, from the Iron Man movies.

**Chapter 17: Natural States.**

"This place is gorgeous!" Jane breathed in amazement at the scenery passing by; the group had arrived in California close to 2 in the afternoon, and were loaded up into a van taxi, their luggage following them in a separate taxi, on their way to Tony's house.

"Look at all the people!" The place was packed with bodies, mostly dressed in swim suits and summer clothes. "The beach, check out that beach!" Clint pointed, leaning across Bruce to do so, they all looked out the window at the long stretch of golden sand, and crystal clear water, people milling about, sun bathing or surfing.

"Sit tight guys, we're almost there" the taxi driver called back to them, taking a right turn up a secluded road, "how much longer?" Bruce asked softly, shifting to get Clint off him from where the other boy was stressed across to look out the window.

"About five minutes" the driver responded, turning on to another secluded road, the group watched as the tree line faded out, and giving way to a private cliff side hill where a massive house sat by itself. "And we're here." The driver announced, pulling up the round-about drive way and stopping clear in in front of the front door.

"Holy shit" Bucky breathed climbing out of the car and marveling at the massive house, "he wasn't joking when he said he had the room was he?"

"Hey guys!" Rhodey called, opening the front door and walking down the small steps to greet them, "Rhodey, this is fucking amazing!"

Rhodey laughed, "I had the same reaction when I first came here, house isn't even finished yet," Clint stared at Rhodey wide-eyed, "you mean this place is going to be bigger?" Rhodey shrugged, "eventually, Tony loves this house, plans on making it his permanent residence once he takes over S.I, there's building plans to hollow out the other side of the cliff to add in a home gym, and some other stuff that I just can't wrap my head around structurally."

"This is insane," Bruce smiled wryly, "where's the closest neighbor?" Rhodey pointed off in a direction, "about two miles that way, Tony likes his privacy, one of the reasons he picked this house when he moved out here, he could've gone for the beach house, but that's located near the boardwalk and there's always people there."

Natasha murmured a Russian phrase under breath, eyes taking in the beauty around here, "This house is indeed splendid! We will enjoy ourselves here" Thor claimed loudly, beaming at the view of the beach just beyond the house.

"Private beach" Rhodey pointed out, seeing where Thor's gaze was, "does Tony own that beach as well?" Loki asked, accepting one of the suitcases from the taxi driver and heaving it over to the group.

Rhodey nodded, "everything from here-" Rhodey pointed off to the side where the beached seemed to start, "-all the way down to there-" he pointed at the far end, where a small fence was built along the beach, "-and going back to the first road leading up to this house, and the surrounding forestry is all Stark property,"

Bucky stumbled, seemingly going weak in the knees, "this is going to be the best two weeks ever." Steve smiled at this friend, helping the other boy stand up, "where's Tony, work?" he asked scanning the house for any signs of the smaller boy.

"Nah, he booked this weekend off, he goes back to work Monday, he's in the basement-slash-workshop, I'm actually getting ready to drag his ass out, he went straight there after work yesterday, and he got home about 4 in the afternoon, and he's been in there ever since."

The group took a few minutes to pay for their fair, and brought their luggage inside, marveling at the expanse of the house, it was just as beautiful inside as it was outside. Rhodey gestured them to put the luggage off to the side in the main entrance, "shoes off Tony, he hates cleaning floors and he's a bit of a germaphobe, don't ever try to hand him anything." Rhodey laughed to himself at the inside joke.

"So main entrance, down that way is the rec room and a full bathroom," Rhodey began leading them around in a tour, "kitchen, down that way are the guest rooms where you guys are staying, upstairs is my room and Tony's room another full bathroom, down there is the basement slash workshop, and entrance to the garage, and here is the living room."

They came full circle stopping in a tastefully decorated large family room, "there are some rules that Tony would like you guys to abide by" the group nodded, "seems reasonable" Steve said, slowly sitting on the couch, it was incredibly comfortable.

"So Tony's bedroom and the basement-workshop are off limits, you don't go in them unless invited, believe me, Tony doesn't even like me going into his private rooms if he's not there. The rule is more for the workshop, he has a lot of dangerous stuff laying around down there and if you don't know what's what, you could seriously hurt yourself."

"That definitely seems reasonable" Steve voiced after a few moments of silence, wondering what on earth Tony had down there that could be so dangerous, "will we ever get to see it though? I'm interested in what it looks like" Bruce asked, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Rhodey nodded, "oh yea, Tony doesn't care if he's in there and you want to see it, just don't go wandering around down there without him."

After they acknowledged that they understood, Rhodey continued, "also, clean up after yourselves, that goes without saying man, dirty a dish, wash it, don't leave dirty clothes lying around and do your own laundry, above all; do not bring strangers into this house, Tony will shit bricks if he finds out people he doesn't know have been in here, he doesn't care if you meet new people and bring them down to the private beach, but they are not to step foot inside the house."

The group of friends nodded and agreed, Rhodey grinned and told them to get their stuff, he'd show them which rooms they'd be staying in, "so Tony figured, he'd let you guys pick room buddies, now Thor and Jane, if you guys wanted to share a room, you can have mine upstairs, and I can room down with Loki and that'll give Natasha her own room,"

Jane shook her head, "we've already agreed that I would room with Natasha and he'd go in with Loki, we didn't want to mess everyone up by being the couple that has to sleep in the same room" she laughed.

It took a few minutes for the group to sort themselves out, deciding that Steve would room with Bucky, Clint would room with Bruce, Jane with Natasha, and Thor with Loki.

"Alright, let's take a quick trip down stairs so I can drag Tony's ass out of the workshop before he dies of exhaustion and malnutrition," the tone Rhodey had was more exasperated than serious, like this has happened before many times.

The group followed him down the winding stairs to the surprisingly well lit basement, there was a set of clear glass windows with a glass door leading into the workshop, through the glass they could see various pieces of equipment, a couple of long tables littered with all sorts of electronics, and numerous coffee mugs.

Rhodey opened the door, gesturing the others to head inside, "Tony!" he called, there was no answer, the group followed Rhodey further into the lab, rounding a corner to a more open part, "there you are!"

Tony stood facing them and bent over what appeared to be a mechanical arm, "Tony?" Tony startled and glanced up, there was an oil smear on his face, his eyes had bags under them, and his hair was all over the place.

"Oh…is it the 16th already?" he asked haltingly, as if he was unable to comprehend the date, "yea, you've been down here since yesterday, I think a shower, some food, and a nap is needed man you look like you're about to keel over." Rhodey spoke slowly, watching Tony cautiously; the smaller boy looked like he was ready to pass out.

Tony shook her head, "hey guys," he called to the group watching him in awe, "and no, I can't stop now, I'm so close to completing it, I have to keep going, I am on fire right now!"

Tony shouted gleefully, bending back over the mechanical arm, with the large base, grunting with the effort it took to twist the wrench he had buried inside of the base. "What are you even building?" Bruce asked, shifting to observe the machinery Tony was working on.

Steve yelped surprised, jumping and moving away from the thing that had brushed against his legs, everyone turned to stare at him, and then consequently the robotic arm making a series of beeps and clicking noises.

"Whoa, that's DUM-E!" Steve excitedly inspected the robotic, it seemed to look up at him, clicking and beeping questioningly, "A brother" Tony spoke, bringing back everyone's attention to him, he'd gone back to work on the arm, leaving them to admire DUM-E.

"A brother, a brother for who?" Bruce asked curiously, watching Dum-E move around them in astonishment, "a brother for DUM-E, he's down here by himself the majority of the time, he could use a little company….done!"

Tony stood, stretching "and do we have life?" he asked rhetorically, flicking a switch on the base of the new arm, covering it over with a cover and screwing it into place.

The robotic arm gave a-would be shudder, slowly raising its arm up, twisting about in a looking around motion, "we have life!" Tony shouted standing up and moving away from the new robotic as it took in its surroundings.

Dum-E excitedly wheeled over to the new sibling, the two making sounds at each other, "it's like they're talking to each other" Bruce was fascinated watching the two robots interact, "this is incredible, absolutely incredibly" Jane took a step forward, attempting to see the robots better.

"I've never seen anything like this, this is insane, it's like a science fiction movie" Steve breathed in amazement, "you ain't seen nothing yet" Tony laughed, "okay Dum-E, starting comprehension test phase" Dum-E clicked at Tony a couple of times and moved away, letting Tony have the new robots undivided attention.

"Voice recognition test; Hello" Tony called, the robotic arm, perked up, as if recognizing the sound of Tony's voice, "voice recognition successful, come forward-" the robotic moved forward at the command, "stop" it stopped still, "good, back up" Tony ordered, watching as the robot began backing up, "stop" it stopped at the command, it waited patiently for its next orders.

"Basic comprehension of simple orders successful, moving on" Tony picked up a tennis ball that was sitting on the closest table, he tossed it to the far side of the room, "retrieve the ball" the robot spun around on its base, rolling towards the ball and picking it up in its tri-pronged grippers, bringing it back to Tony and depositing it in his waiting hand.

"Very good," the robot beeped happily, understanding that it was being praised, "we have intelligent life, welcome to world…uh, You." The robot clicked questioningly at Tony, who shrugged, "I don't know what else to call you, so I'm just going to call you, You."

The robot seemed to think the name over, it made a series of high pitched happy sounds, seeming to accept the name, Tony smiled softly down at his newest creation, "okay Dum-e, take You around the shop, show him the stuff, and then show him the power port, let him get a good rest. And I don't want to hear you two making all sorts of racket in the night, understand?"

The two robots clicked happily up at their creator, "good" Tony nodded, and then seemed to finally remember his audience.

They stared at each other for a long moment, then a loud grumbling sound resounding from Tony, "it appears I am hungry" Tony needlessly pointed out, glancing down at his protesting stomach, "yep, I'm hungry, my belly is making the rumblies that only food can satisfy."

Rhodey chuckled, "good, my cooking skills aren't that great but I did order some pizza, should be here soon" just as he finished speaking a loud musical note echoed in the house, "there it is now."

The group headed upstairs, pausing momentarily for Tony to shut and lock the door to his lab, Tony left the others in the kitchen while Rhodey went to go deal with the pizza man, claiming a quick shower was needed.

He returned nearly twenty minutes later and immediately tore into the box of meat lover's pizza, devouring a single slice in just a few bites.

"My God, did you even chew that?" Loki asked horrified at the rapid disappearance of the food, "Shh, eating" Tony responded in between bites of his third slice.

"Man you got to stop doing that, you can't go nearly 48 hours without food and then gorge when you finally remember that your body requires sustenance" Rhodey chided, frowning at Tony who was already onto slice number six.

"Shh, eating" Tony repeated, pausing his meal only long enough to get a drink, "this is a normal occurrence?" Steve asked lowly, they'd all stopped their own meals to watch Tony scarf down slice after slice, finally tapping out at number 9.

Rhodey nodded, "he gets so caught up in his work that he forgets he's human with human needs, like food and water and sleep."

Tony burped loudly after chugging down the last of his soda, "whoa that was impressive!" Bucky laughed as the burp echoed in the kitchen, "I have been fed!" Tony called in a valiant manner, moving to put his empty soda can underneath the kitchen sink in a bin labeled recycling.

He turned to face the others, eyes glassy and face drooping in fatigue, he swayed a little on his feet before yawning loudly, "now I shall nap" Tony barely made it to the living room couch before falling dead asleep, the others pretty sure he was out cold before even sitting down.

It was definitely going to be an interesting two weeks for the group of friends, by the end of it a lot would change.

A/N: Now I want pizza.


	18. Bon Fire Mishaps

A/N: Some real shit happens here.

**Chapter 18: Bon Fire Mishaps.**

"This is the greatest thing in the history of great things!" Clint was already half way to being drunk as he danced into time to the loud music pumping from the speakers someone had brought over to the beach.

It was the group's second day in Malibu, it was also the night that various students from various schools got together for the bon fire party they threw at the start of the summer vacation.

"How do the police not show up to this?!" Jane asked, watching the horde of teens moving around the beach, "who says they don't?" Tony asked smirking up at Jane from where he was sitting on a tree log turned bench.

"Tony!" Clint stumbled to his knees in front of Tony, grabbing his arm, "this is fantastic!" Tony laughed, moving his beer to his other hand so it wouldn't spill all over him, "where is everybody?" Clint demanded leaning back and looking around.

"Natasha and Bruce went back to the house, Rhodey is somewhere with some friends of his from Wave Point, Thor is currently becoming the new all you can eat champion-" Jane pointed to where Thor and a group of guys stood around a fold up table laden with food and appeared to be having an eating contest.

"Loki is down there playing soccer-" Clint squinted against the bright light from the fire, making out Loki's form kicking around a soccer ball with a few other people, "Bucky is trying to pick up girls and has dragged Steve along for the ride."

Tony glanced up, following the direction of where Jane's finger was pointing to see Bucky and Steve surrounded by a sizable group of girls, Bucky was obviously laying on the charm thickly, Tony could tell by the look on his face, and Steve was awkwardly standing beside him, clearly uncomfortable with the sudden attention.

Tony let his eyes wonder the expanse of Steve's form, dragging slowly over board short clad legs, and exposed torso, watching, completely fascinated as muscles stretched and rippled as Steve shifted, dampened skin glistening in fire light.

Tony's gaze traveled further up, pausing momentarily when he locked gazes with the bright blue that could only belong to Steve, Tony couldn't stop the slight smile from pulling at his mouth as he and Steve stared at each other.

Unable to resist, Tony winked cheekily, chuckling when Steve laughed, Tony grinned surprised when Steve winked back at him before his attention was dragged away by one of the many girls around him.

"Did that just happen?" Jane asked amused, moving to sit down beside Tony, "did what just happen?" Tony asked, sipping at his red solo cup, "you checking out Steve" Clint piped up, shifting to turn around and sitting on the warm sand, leaning back against Jane's legs.

"I'm an equal opportunist and Steve is a magnificent physical specimen, excuse me for looking." Tony grumbled, finishing his drink and setting the cup on the ground at his feet.

Jane gave Tony a knowing look, "there's more to it than just admiring a hot body," she pointed out, Tony groaned, "what do you want Jane?" Jane laughed, "So how long have you liked him?" she asked, placing her elbows on her knees and resting her head in her hands.

"Seventh grade" Tony answered reluctantly, "Holy shit, really? We all just thought it was when he got hot, you know?" Clint piped up, digging his toes into the sand, "no I don't know," Tony glared, "I can be a shallow person, sure. And it's agreed all around that before high school Steve was a tiny puny little ninety-five pound runt the wind could blow away, it was never his physical state I was attracted too." Tony softly admitted.

Jane nudged him, "you can tell me Tony, I won't judge you or hold it against you" she encouraged gently, Tony sighed mildly frustrated, he thought he buried this part of his life for good, buried in the cold recesses of his memory.

"I was attracted to him, just him, just Steve Rogers, the ninety-five pound asthmatic, who never turned away from someone in need, would still keep fighting even after being knocked down." Tony paused, eyes traveling back to Steve who seemed to be getting comfortable with the girls at last as he laughed at something one said, and let her put her hand on his arm.

"The attraction was never to his body, whether it was before or now, it was to his beautiful soul, everything that made up Steve Rogers." There was a silence between the three friends before Clint twisted to look back at Tony, placing a hand on Tony's knee.

"I'm sorry" Clint spoke seriously, despite his half-drunken state, "I am really sorry." Tony frowned at the unexpected apology, "what for?" he asked confused, "for everything man, you're such a cool dude, and we didn't know, and we were such dicks to you!"

Tony laughed, patting the back of Clint's hand reassuringly, "don't worry about it, what's past is past there's no point in fretting over it, we're good now, that's what matters, now stop being affectionate you're freaking me out" Tony ordered, pushing Clint's hand off his knee, as the three broke into laughter.

Steve smiled amusingly as Bucky attempted to lure one of the girls they were talking too into his bed for the night, hopefully her bed Steve thought, belatedly realizing that he and Bucky shared a room at Tony's house.

Steve sighed to himself, looking around for any signs of the others, he could barely see Loki in the distance playing soccer with some people he must've met, and Thor was at a food table having what looked to be an eating contest.

Natasha and Bruce were nowhere in sight, they must've gone back to the house, and Jane, Clint and Tony were sitting by the fire.

Steve frowned thoughtfully as he watched Tony, the other boy had a vacant look on his face, and he was staring right at him, eyes trailing listlessly from bottom, slowly to top, finally reaching his face.

Steve felt that rapidly familiar warmth in his gut when they locked eyes; it was a pleasant sensation, one he enjoyed whenever Tony was around. They continued to stare at each other, Steve seeing the twitch at the corner of Tony's mouth that was a tall tale sign the other boy was fighting back a smile.

Steve laughed when Tony winked at him, and couldn't resist winking back, laughing again when Tony grinned, diverting his attention a second later as one of the girls spoke to him.

"Tony!" Steve turned his head at the loud call, watching as a small group of girls and a couple of guys wondered up to where Tony, Clint, and Jane sat by the fire. "What's going on over there?" Bucky asked frowning at the group of people talking excitedly to Tony.

"Why don't we go find out?" one of the girls asked, they began walking over to their friends, arriving in time to hear Tony laugh and say "what the fuck do you think I am? I'm not your whore, believe me girl, if I was a ho, I'd have a cooler pimp than you!"

"Oh come on Tones, just one kiss, he's curious!" the girl whined pleadingly, "Do I look like I want to get mono? Why me, there's a ton of other guys here willingly to go for it" the girl rolled her eyes, "yes, but they're not as fun as you, and he doesn't believe me that you're a fantastic kisser,"

Tony laughed, climbing to his feet, "I never would have ever believed that a girl would ask me to lock lips with her boyfriend, you buddy, are a brave and venturous man" Tony chuckled, crooking his finger at the boy and beckoning him forward.

The guy who was obviously the girl's boyfriend chuckled, "I know, I know, but she mentioned it one day and I'm curious" he said laughing, "Lucy is over playing my prowess" Tony grinned, "I'm not a fucking wizard, if I kiss you, you won't suddenly turn magical."

The guy laughed harder, "but you may turn gay" the surrounding group broke into loud laughter, "is he actually going to kiss him?" Steve asked in a whisper, suddenly finding the situation not as funny when he realized what was going to happen.

"I have no idea Steve" Bucky laughed, arm slung around the shoulders of one of the girls they'd been talking to earlier.

"Point acknowledged now shut up and kiss me" the guy demanded leaning forward, bending down slightly as he was much taller than Tony. There were loud hollers and cat calls as the two proceeded to full on make-out in front of their audience.

Steve blanched at the sight, watching with a strange feeling of anger and something else he couldn't put his finger on, as the guy dropped his hands to Tony's hips, pulling the smaller boy closer and deepening the kiss.

"That is so hot" Steve vaguely heard one of the girls whisper watching the display with rapt attention, Steve frowned, not liking the situation at all. After several long moments Tony and the other guy finally pulled apart.

"Okay" the guy began, straightening up and turning to his girlfriend, "you were right, he is a fantastic kisser, and I have much to learn" the crowd broke into another round of laughter, dispersing after the show was over.

"Okay, what the fuck man?" Clint asked as the group lounged in Tony's living room a few hours later, "What?" Steve asked looking up and seeing the gathered friends staring at him.

Bruce and Natasha had gone to bed long before they arrived back at the house, evidence of them watching a movie in the rec room left behind, Bucky had gone home with the girl he had his arm around, and Loki and Rhodey were still down at the party.

Tony had retreated to take a shower, wanting to wash the smell of cheap beer and sand off his body, leaving Clint, Jane and Thor, and Steve in the living room.

"You've been in a pissy mood ever since that dude stuck his tongue down Tony's throat, so what the fuck man?" Clint had sobered up some still, still drunk enough to not think about what he was saying, but sober enough to be aware of what was going on.

"Steve," Jane began slowly, shifting in her seat on Thor's lap, "did it bother you when that happened?" Steve shrugged, not answering. Did it bother him? Steve sighed, frustrated, he didn't know.

All he knew was that the sight of some random guy touching Tony like that, with such familiarity and in such an intimate way, made his skin itch in irritation and his heart race in rage. Well, Steve thought that answers that question.

"I guess it did," Jane hummed thoughtfully, "okay, why?" she asked, watching him in interest as he moved about uncomfortably on the couch. "I don't know!" Steve practically shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

"Steven" Thor warned, not liking the tone taken with Jane, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just…" Steve trailed off, "Jealous?" Clint asked, Steve gaped over at his friend in disbelief, "what?" he choked out, "jealous, Steve man, you're jealous" Clint enunciated slowly.

"Clint may be right, Steve, I think you're jealous of the guy who kissed Tony." Jane cut in, giving Steve a thoughtful look, "do you think you may be attracted to Tony at all?" she asked, Steve groaned, tiredly rubbing his hands over his face.

"I like Tony, I can admit that, he's funny, and smart, and fierce, and talented, and I like talking to him and learning about him, but I don't know if I'd say I'm attracted to him!"

Thor laughed heartily, "Steven, all those qualities you have just listed are reasons to be attracted to the Man of Iron, I agree with Clint and Jane, I believe you have fallen into a wondrous emotion, and I wish you luck with your future endeavours to capture the man of iron!"

Steve sighed, standing from the couch, "I'm done talking about this, I'm going to bed." He announced ignoring Clint's call of "you can't run from this for ever! Search you're feelings!"

Steve turned back round, "there's nothing to search for" he insisted, "did you lose something?" Steve swallowed thickly, and slowly turned on his heels, Tony stood behind him at the foot of the stairs, dressed in boxer shorts and an oversized short sleeved shirt.

"Hey Tony, Steve is also curious about your kissing abilities! Help a brother out!" Clint called out, Tony frowned, Steve closed his eyes in annoyance, "I don't think that's such a good idea" Tony muttered, walking closer to the group, stopping just shy in front of Steve.

"Agreed, maybe not such a good idea, and Clint's drunk, he has no idea what he's asking you to do" Steve spoke lowly, opening his eyes and looking down at Tony.

Tony frowned, internally struggling, how do you pass up a chance to kiss someone you've wanted for so long? The answer was simple, you couldn't.

"Well, I'm game if you're that curious" Steve blinked in surprise, "uh…sure?" it was more of a question than an answer, shit, Steve thought, is this really going to happen, did he really want to do this? The questions rolled around in his head, as he Tony stepped closer to him, expectantly tilting his head up, yes, he did want this.

Steve ducked down, gently pressing his lips to Tony's, oh, he thought, this was… Steve felt Tony sigh against their joined lips, and he responded by slipping his arms around Tony's waist and pulling him closer, deepening the kiss, enjoying the sparking sensations dancing across his skin.

Steve made a sound as the touch of a tongue flickered across his bottom lip, he eagerly opened in invitation, enjoying the feeling of Tony's lean arms wrapping around his neck. His whole world narrowed down to this feeling, to having this experience, and paying no attention to where they were, or who was in the room, just focusing on this moment.

A/N: Oh snap! What have I done?!


	19. A Not So Iron Heart

A/N: I absolutely loving you guys, you make writing this such a joy, and I'm really glad you all like it o much, thanks for sticking with it, we're almost at the finish line!

**Chapter 19: A Not So Iron Heart.**

It was awkward, that was the only way to describe the following day, Tony had left quickly the night before, retreating to his work shop in the basement, no one was sure if he ever came back up, as they hadn't seen him all day.

"Alright, I'll bite, what's going on?" Bucky asked as he settled at the kitchen island, he'd come back to the house an hour or so ago to the tense atmosphere and a pensive Steve.

"Steve kissed Tony last night" Clint answered, pushing his cereal around in the bowl with his spoon, "say what?" Bucky asked surprised, looking up at Steve who sighed, "Don't Bucky, I really don't want to talk about it." He muttered, eyes focused on his sketchbook, "dude what the hell? I can't be told that you macked on Tony and be expected to leave it alone, how did that even happen?"

"Clint told Tony that Steve was also curious about his kissing abilities, then boom, Steve and Tony are sharing a moment" Jane answered, glancing at Steve with a hint of worry.

"Did you like it?" Bucky asked hesitantly after a moment of silence, Steve abruptly stood, collecting his sketchbook and disappearing out of the room, not saying a word or acknowledging anyone.

"What in the actual fuck is going on?" Bucky asked, stunned at Steve's abnormal behaviour, watching his best friend leave the room, the sound of the door opening and closing telling them he'd left the house entirely.

"We think Steve may be attracted to Tony, and just doesn't want to admit it," Jane answered softly, "he shouldn't have kissed him" they looked up as Natasha entered the room, heading for the coffee machine, "why not?" Clint asked curiously, abandoning his cereal.

"Tony has had feelings for Steve for so long, and then Steve all of a sudden wants to kiss him? Imagine the turmoil they're both going through, Tony must be so confused over Steve's motives, now Steve feels something for Tony and has trouble admitting it, and may have wrecked their friendship, that kiss shouldn't have happened."

"Oh well, when you put it like that" Clint rolled his eyes, "why would you even suggest it?" Loki asked, moving to the sink to wash up his own bowl. Clint shrugged, "I don't know, I was drunk, seemed like a good idea at the time."

"So where's Tony now?" Bucky asked, looking around for any sign of the boy, "basement, went down there last night, apparently he hasn't come up because Rhodey went down there a little while ago and hasn't come back up either."

Bucky sighed, Steve, he thought, just what have you gotten yourself into?

"Was it bad or something?" Rhodey asked, watching as Tony fiddled around with a circuit board, "Rhodey" Tony whispered, silently pleading with his best friend to drop the subject and leave it alone.

"Tony, I am not dropping this, just accept that, now why would you even let that happen?" Rhodey asked standing at the end of the work table where Tony was manipulating wires, Tony made an angry noise dropping the board to the table top and finally turning to look at Rhodey, "because I wanted too!" he snapped.

Rhodey stared at him for a longer moment, not put off by the harsh demeanor, "why?" Rhodey asked softly, leaning against the work table.

"How do you say no when someone you've wanted for so long, asks you for a kiss? How do you turn away knowing it's the only thing you'll ever get from them? I'm a damaged soul Rhodey, I always have been." Tony spoke quietly, defeated. "For the longest time I thought I'd finally ridded myself of those feelings I had for Steve, they never led anywhere good, then the tournament happened and then they happened, and he wouldn't stop being him, and I knew I had never buried those emotions, they're still there."

Tony placed his soldering tool back into the holder after cooling down the tip, "I lied to myself for two years thinking I was stronger than I actually was, and then he was there and he looked so perfect, and I wanted it, and now I realize, exactly just how weak I am; because I couldn't say no."

Rhodey watched in silence, as Tony bowed his head, "Tones" Rhodey began, and then stopped, not knowing what to say to make his friend feel better; all he could do was place a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder, a silent reassurance that he wasn't alone.

"Should we ask them to leave?" Rhodey asked after several long minutes of silence, Tony shook his head, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, "no, why ruin their vacation because of my insecurities, just let me stay down here, I need to sort my head out."

Rhodey nodded, "I'll make sure you're not disturbed, and I'll be bringing you meals man, you can't go another straight 38 hours without food in one week, you'll kill yourself." Tony nodded his thanks, turning back to the circuit board as Rhodey disappeared up the steps.

A few hours later there was a knock on the glass door to the workshop, Tony glanced up from installing the circuit board he'd been working on into a piece of machinery, Clint was standing on the side, shifting nervously from foot to foot, Tony gestured him in.

"Glad to see Rhodey doing a good job" Tony commented not rudely, just stating a fact, Clint shrugged sheepishly, "I had Bucky distract him, he told us to leave you alone down here but I feel I owe you an apology."

Tony smiled, a hint of sarcasm in his face as he looked up at Clint, "you seem to be doing that a lot lately, last night and now"

"Yes, but if I'm being completely honest with you here, that whole thing was my stupid attempt at trying to hook you two up." Clint admitted, cautiously moving closer to Tony and looking in interest at what he was doing.

"Clint, I'm aware that Steve's straight as straight can be, I'm not stupid enough to think that there could be anything more than friendship between us, and I'm aware of how selfish I'm being right now hiding away down here instead of facing it head on."

Clint sighed dejectedly, "seriously Clint I'm not mad, if I didn't want to kiss him I wouldn't have done it, this isn't your fault, it's mine." Tony said resolutely

Clint nodded, "we're good though right?" Tony nodded with a more open smile, "yea we're good, no worries man."

"Excellent, so what are you doing?" he asked watch Tony seal up the machinery, turning a few screws to keep the cover on. "It's a prototype for a project I've been working on the past couple of years."

Clint gawked, surprised, "two years?! What is it that takes two years to complete?" he asked, astonished, "it's not actually done" Tony pointed out, "prototype remember, I started it just after Jarvis passed away, it's supposed to be an artificial intelligence, but I keep having trouble with the processing speed. It talks, and like DUM-E and You can follow commands, but it's not quite up to par yet, observe."

Tony flicked a switch on the machinery and Clint watched as blinking lights came on, there was a small display screen that showed a sound bar, "good afternoon" Tony said to the machine, the sound bar spiked as an emotionless robotic voice answered, "good afternoon Mr. Stark." Tony hummed, "what is the weather like today?" he asked, it took several long minutes before the sound bar spiked again and the voice responded with the answer.

"See? It takes too long to gather the needed information, I'm trying to rewire certain parts to increase processing speed, this thing needs to be able to access immediately available information, via the closest source, but so far it keeps searching multiple sources at once and then doing a useless process of elimination to get the best answer."

"I have no idea what you just said, but I totally agree" Clint responded making Tony laugh, "it's actually not that difficult to understand Clint, this prototype has access to the internet, follow?" Clint nodded, gesturing for Tony to continue, "When asked a question it will access the internet and search for the answer" Clint grunted, showing he was still listening as he looked over the machine.

"You know how you type a question into google and it gives you several different websites with the answer? Sometimes the answers are a little different?" Tony waited for Clint to nod, "well that's what it's doing, it'll search several different websites- sources, but because the answers can be different it's collecting all relative data and then eliminates sources one at a time until it gets the right answer. Not really a bad thing, but it takes too long so I just got to figure out how to speed it up."

Clint looked at Tony in amazement, "you created this?" Tony nodded, "are you even human?" Tony laughed loudly; "I'm human dude, just made out of awesome" he winked, as they were distracted in the conversation, Tony showing Clint more of his creation`s features, they didn't see Steve pushing away from the door and walking back up the stairs.

A/N: oh shit son, now what?


	20. More To Us

A/N: A little bit of a reflection here.

**Chapter 20: More To Us.**

It was a few days later, Tony had returned to work, often being gone before anyone else was awake, and returning in the late afternoon, having a habit of going to the gym after his shift.

He`d also gotten into the habit of disappearing right into his workshop, withdrawing from the group, he occasionally allowed Clint down to see the progress he`d made on his project, he`d finally gotten the processing speed up by amending the coding.

He`d replaced the bulky machine with a slimmed down version, modifying it with a sensor to turn the whole thing on when Tony came close to it, he had plans to expand on the sensor part, but that step would have to come later when he finished working out the kinks in the original model.

So far it was working well, it responded to Tony`s commands, had increased search functions, and after a few tweaks began developing its own speech patterns, using slang terms it would hear Tony or Clint, and Rhodey say.

Clint frowned as Steve barely acknowledged his greeting when he came up from the workshop, he`d been down there with Rhodey helping to lift and hold up the slimmer version of the project Tony was working on as he installed it into a wall slot he`d dug out the other night after coming home from work.

"You okay bro?" Clint asked, watching Steve carefully, the other guy barely gave a nod, not saying anything to Clint, and not paying attention to the incredulous looks the others were giving him.

"You sure you're alright Steve, you seem a little tense lately" Bruce pointed out, sipping on his mug of tea, "I'm fine" Steve bit out, his tone clear that he wasn't in the greatest of moods.

"If you say so" Bruce said, not believing a word Steve said, Clint frowned, "okay…" he said slowly moving to sit with the others, "man I can't wait until Tony's project is complete, it's amazing! That guy is so smart, it's scary."

Clint jumped in his seat when Steve suddenly stood and stalked from the room, heading for the front door, stopping only long enough to put his shoes on before disappearing into the setting sunlight, "okay, that's enough" Clint growled standing up to go after his wayward friend.

"Clint don't, just leave him alone," Natasha warned, placing her own mug of tea onto the coffee table, "fuck that!" Clint yelled, "He's been pissed at me ever since Saturday, and I haven't done a damn thing wrong!"

Clint shouted, shoving on his own shoes and taking off after Steve, he found the taller teen wondering towards the path way that lead down to the private beach that Tony owned.

"What have I done to possibly offend you so fucking much?!" Clint yelled, stalking angrily up behind Steve, the bigger teen paused a split second before continuing down the path, Clint hot on his heels.

They came out onto the beach, "go away Clint, I don't want any company right now," Steve ordered not turning around to face the other boy as he followed behind him, trudging along the sand.

"No, what the hell is your problem Steve? I haven't done anything to warrant the way you've been treating me lately!" Clint retorted, he was so angry he could feel his hands shaking. "How have I been treating you exactly?" Steve finally turned to face Clint, his expression was stony, anger reflected in his bright blue eyes.

"You ignore me; you don't talk to me when I ask you a question, half the fucking time I enter a room you fucking leave it, it's like you can't stand to be around me, and you won't even tell me why!" Clint yelled, "This shit's been going on since Saturday, that's four fucking days of you acting like an ass!"

"Back down Clint!" Steve commanded, standing up to his full height, "or what?" Clint asked, voice going dangerously low, "what will you do if I just follow you around for the rest of the day? Hit me? Go on, I dare you too,"

Steve sucked in a harsh breath, "don't tempt me" he warned, "what the hell Steve?!" Clint screamed, throwing his hands out in disbelief, "what the fuck is going on with you man?" Clint lowered his voice, staring at Steve, "just tell me what I fucking did wrong, that's all I want,"

There was a stretch of silence between the two friends, "oh…I get it" Clint finally spoke, "this isn't about me, this is about Tony, and you being too much of a pussy to face the fact that you're not as straight as you thought you were!"

Clint stumbled back, a splash of pain radiating from his face, feeling the telling signs of blood dripping down his nose and chin to drop onto the sand. He gingerly pushed one hand up to his face, lowering it to see the smear of blood on his fingers.

"You actually fucking hit me" Clint laughed disbelievingly, "Don't talk about things you don't understand" Steve hissed, his body tight in rage.

"What the fuck don't I understand Steve? You like the guy, it's fucking obvious you do, you're just too scared to fucking admit it!"

"I'm not afraid of admitting it!" Steve screamed, getting right into Clint's face, "then why take it out on me?" Clint demanded, ignoring the blood dripping down his face, "why don't you tell me?" Steve responded, appearing to calm down.

"Why don't you tell me, that if you knew before I did how I felt, why you're suddenly close to him, why you get to go down to his workshop and spend hours holed up in there, why he laughs and jokes with you and won't even look at me the few times we happen to be in the same room?!"

Clint took a step back, bewildered, "are you jealous of me Steve?" the silence was answer enough, "you're an idiot" Clint laughed, "an honest to God, fucking idiot,"

Clint shook his head turning to pace a few steps away and then back, "Steve, I went down to his workshop that day because I owed him an apology, I put you two into an awkward position, more so for him, he's… Fuck, the guy's been head over heels for you since we were twelve!"

Clint was exasperated, "dude, I know you have issues with seeing what's right in front of your damn face, so I thought I'd help you two along, that suggestion that he kiss you was my half assed attempt at hooking you guys up, I felt bad because in retrospect, wasn't a good idea, you can handle shit like that, Tony? He's been abused his entire life, by his own parents and by us, I owed him an apology."

Steve sighed, shoulders slumping in understanding, "when I went to go see him, he was working on a project, it's really cool, I'm interested in seeing it finished so he offered me to help, I literally just do the heavy lifting, that's why I go down there, sure we've bonded over a couple of things, but we're just friends, I think in your jealous rage you've forgotten that I'm into girls, Tony's awesome but he ain't no lady, and I love me my ladies."

Steve unwillingly chuckled, "Shit Clint, I'm so sorry" he said, taking in the sight of the blood smeared all over Clint's face. Clint shook his head, "I got you, no big deal, not like I've never been punched before, but do it again and I'll have to kick your ass."

Steve laughed; "I'd love to see you try" he went to go help Clint back to the house when a voice stopped them both in their tracks, "okay assholes, what the fuck is going on?" They turned guilty heads to the path leading up to Tony's house, Tony stood at the entrance, arms crossed over his chest and an unimpressed look on his face.

"Nothing Tones, we're good" Clint waved him off, "talk to him" he muttered to Steve swiftly moving past him and Tony, disappearing up the path way and back to the house.

"Everything good?" Tony asked, watching Steve intently. Steve nodded, "yea, everything's fine" Tony raised a brow, "Clint's bloody face says differently" he pointed out, "I had a dumb moment" Steve admitted guiltily.

"So long as you guys don't go full out UFC in my living room" Tony shrugged, turning to walk away, "Tony, wait!" Steve called, relieved when Tony paused, "I feel like, you've been avoiding me, and I think I know why."

Tony made a sound in the back of his throat, "I'm not avoiding you Steve" he admitted softly, "I'm avoiding me."

"What?" Steve asked, confused. Tony made a sound of impatience, turning to face Steve, "I am by no means dumb, not by a long shot, what was a flight of fancy for you, meant more than it should have to me."

Steve frowned, not getting what Tony was saying, "I never should've kissed you like that, not when I know there's nothing that can come from it, I know what we are Steve, we're just friends, I shouldn't have put myself in that position, but hey, when you're faced with a chance of having that one moment with someone you like, you can't pass that shit up, and it was stupid, and reckless, and just caused a shit ton of problems. I'm sorry,"

"I'm not" Steve finally said after several long minutes of silence, he stared at Tony, taking in the vision he made with the sun's dying rays silhouetting his form. "I don't follow" Tony said hesitantly,

"I'm not sorry," Steve repeated, advancing slowly on him, "I can be sorry for allowing it to happen like that, and I can be sorry for allowing Clint of all people to manipulate the situation, I can be sorry for making you think there's nothing else that can come from it, but I am not sorry, never can be sorry, for kissing you."

Steve swallowed nervously, tongue darting out to wet his lips, "I like you Tony, I really do, and it's in a more than just friends way."

Tony shook his head, "I think you're confused, Steve you're not into guys. I know you're not."

"Yes and that's what makes it so crazy!" Steve huffed a frustrated sigh, "I can look at a girl, and find her attractive, but I'm awkward around them, I've been on a lot of dates, but have never felt anything for them the way I feel things for you."

Tony felt his jaw drop, unable to come to terms with what was being said, "I know it's hard to believe, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it too, but Tony, I've never once felt awkward around you, from the table at lunch that day in New York, to the first conversation in the rain, to this moment right here, you're amazing. You're brilliant, and funny, and being around you is never boring, I enjoy that, I enjoy it so much that it drives me insane when you hide from me, when you isolate yourself in your own house just to avoid being in the same room as me."

Tony uncrossed his arms at long last, staring at Steve in unbidden shock, "Tony, I know I said some really horrible things in that bathroom back then, and not to justify it, but I was not thinking at all, I just opened my mouth and that happened, and I'm sorry, I am so sorry for all the hurt it caused you."

Steve took a step forward, bringing himself directly in front of Tony, the smaller boy looking up at him, "I am asking a lot from you, I am asking you to take a giant leap of faith here, I'm asking you to believe me when I say that I feel something for you, I don't know what it is for sure, I want to find out, I want to see how far we can go, because I like you."

Tony shook his head gently, "this is not happening, I've somehow knocked myself out in the workshop and I'm having a rather a vivid dream"

Steve laughed, a little delirious, "no, not a dream, let me prove that." Tony blinked up at Steve, unsure of what he meant, only to make a surprised noise when the taller boy bent down and pressed their mouths together in a kiss that was sweet, and gentle, and just as electric as the first.

A/N: Believe it or not, we still have a ways to go.


	21. Broken Pieces

A/N: I thought it would be nice to address the family issues Thor and Loki have.

**Chapter 21: Broken Pieces.**

It started with an email, sent from an anonymous source, and when he read it, he could not believe what it had to say.

Loki,

This may seem strange to you at first, but please listen to me, for what I have to tell you is the truth, the whole hearted truth, my name is Laufey, and I am your real father….

Loki stopped reading the email right there, he sat stunned, cross legged on the bed he and Thor shared in one of Tony's guest rooms, he couldn't comprehend what he'd just read, why would someone do this? What kind of joke was this to pull on someone?

Shakily, he moved to retrieve his phone, dialing a well-known number, "Loki?" Loki cleared his throat, "father," there was a concerned silence on the other side of the line, "is everything alright son, you seem distressed."

"Father, am I really your son?" Loki asked softly, staring at the email with blank eyes, "what, why would you ask such a thing?"

Why would he? Loki wondered, he couldn't deny there was differences he couldn't un-see once he noticed them, like how he was so physically different than Thor, despite the whole fraternal twins thing he'd be told once when he'd pointed out their physical differences to their parents. Even the difference to their parents, why they had fairer hair and his was darker than night, why Thor looked so much like their father with a hint of their mother and Loki had no resemblance to either of their parents.

But now, to be faced with a shred of proof that everything was not as it seemed, he deemed it logical to finally ask.

"Who is Laufey?" he continued, noting in interest how his father went deadly silent, "where did you hear that name?" the man demanded, "That doesn't matter, who is he?" Loki asked, clutching the phone tightly, "Loki, my son, if that man has contacted you, you need to tell me."

Loki shot up from the bed, his laptop crashing to the floor, "no! I don't have to do anything, you need to tell me the truth, am I truly your son?!"

"Yes Loki, you are, you have been and always will be my son" his father's voice sounded defeated, "but what else? Why do I have an email saying that I was adopted? Why do Thor and I look nothing alike, why do I bear no resemblance to you or mother, who am I?!"

"Loki, that's enough, you are exactly who you've always been, Loki Odinson, my child. Now delete that email, pay no mind to that fool, if he contacts you again, you tell me."

"Not until you tell me the truth" Loki demanded quietly, his father sighed sadly, "you're old enough now to understand."

Loki sat heavily back down, listening to his father's words, "Laufey is a distant relative, very distant, he was into all sorts of bad things Loki, not a man anyone can be proud of. The police raided his house one day, he was arrested and sentenced to 20 years for drug smuggling and other illicit misdeeds, among the desolate house, the police found you, a new born, weak, ill, neglected and forgotten."

Loki swallowed thickly, feeling tears weld up in his eyes, "you would've died Loki, if the police had not found you, they reached out to us, and your mother and I took you in, we raised you as our own."

Loki shook his head, "now I know why you always favored Thor, why you're always so proud of him and never once gave me that same look of pride, you should never have kept this from me, you should have told me the truth!"

Loki hung up the phone, violently chucking it across the room, tears of hurt and rage burning a trail down his pale face.

Loki stood, throwing open the bedroom door, stalking angrily into the open kitchen/ living room where he knew Thor was, he went straight to Thor, who sat upon the couch eating a popsicle and talking with Steve and Bucky over the up-coming school season.

Thor made a sound of outrage as Loki stormed over to him, pushing the frozen treat out of his hands and sending it sailing across the room, "Loki what on earth has gotten into you?!" Thor demanded standing up as the conversation came to a halt.

"Did you know?" Loki demanded, not backing down, "I do not know of what you speak, brother." Thor responded frowning, Jane came running into the room at the sound of the raised voices, followed by Natasha and Bruce. Tony was at work and Clint and Rhodey were out at the beach, not knowing what was going on in the house above them.

"Thor, Loki is everything alright?" Jane asked hesitantly, taking in their angry stances, "stay out of this" Loki hissed, casting a glare at the petit brunette.

Jane paused in shock, Loki and she had never seen eye to eye, he had believed for the longest time that she was stealing Thor away from him.

"Do not speak to her that way!" Thor shouted, bringing Loki's attention back onto himself, "what madness has taken over you?" Thor asked once Loki's attention was back on him.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked quietly slipping to stand beside Steve and Bucky, who'd risen to their feet in preparation for a physical conflict.

"No idea," Bucky whispered back, Steve nodded, "Loki just came in, in a right rage, demanding to know if Thor knew or not" Natasha sidled on up to the three boys, "if he knew what?" she asked watching the seen intently, preparing to step in herself if needed.

"Don't know, he never said" Bucky shrugged watching the interaction, "Did you know?" Loki demanded again, ignoring everyone in the room except Thor, "Did I know what?" Thor asked his expression one of complete and utter befuddlement.

"Did you know that I was adopted?" There was a chilled silence in the room, no one had expected that, Thor coughed, breaking the silence, "what difference would it have made if I knew or not? We were raised together Loki, we are brothers."

That seemed to answer Loki's question as he shook his head and took a step back, "you knew" he whispered brokenly, "you knew this entire time, and you never told me."

Thor gestured helplessly at him, "Would you knowing have made a difference? Loki, we are family," Thor insisted, stepping toward his brother.

Loki shook his head, angry tears falling once more, "you knew, and you never told me!" he repeated, "it's all so very clear now isn't it Thor, why they always put you first, I was just the pity case they took on!"

Loki turned around and made towards the door, "Loki, this is madness, come back, brother!" Loki paused, turned his head to look at Thor over his shoulder, "you are not my brother."

With that he was gone, disappearing out the front door. "Wait, Loki is adopted?" Bucky asked, staring at Thor in disbelief, the giant blond sat heavily down back onto the couch and nodded solemnly.

"He's the son of a distant uncle; Laufey, the man is deplorable, drug dealing and other nefarious deeds, the police found Loki as a baby, neglected and half-starved, my parents took him in, not wanting him to go into foster care."

Thor sighed tiredly, "I became aware of the adoption when we moved, mother asked me to retrieve some papers from her office for her and I came across the adoption notice, I asked and she told me."

Thor glanced up at the others, "I never saw the point in telling Loki, it wouldn't change anything, we were raised together, played together, got into fights together, we are brothers, why tell him when it would make not a difference in how I felt for him."

Jane made a sound of comfort, moving to sit beside her boyfriend and curling into his side, "give him time Thor, he's just in shock, he'll come around."

Thor nodded silently, not sure if he could believe the words, he had never seen Loki so hurt and angry before.

A/N: Oh dear, things just got heavy.


	22. The Things We Need

A/N: Back again with another triple update, going to be honest, this fiction is completely finished! I'm just trying to get the time to go back and proofread it before posting the chapters, but this entire story will be posted y Thursday! ^ ^

**Chapter 22: The Things We Need.**

Tony stood in the main entrance of his house, gym bag on the floor and shoes half off, "okay wait what?" he asked puzzled.

"You missed some crazy shit" Bucky said as the group gathered in the kitchen for dinner, a simple BBQ of hot dogs and burgers that Rhodey and Bruce had cooked up.

Tony frowned, properly removing his shoes and pushing his gym bag off to the side with one foot, "going to need a bit more than that Bucky" he commented dryly, stepping out of the foyer and into the kitchen.

He came to a stop beside the platter of burgers, grabbing himself a plate and bun and doing one of for himself. He paused when Steve stepped up beside him, no body missing the way Steve rested his free hand on the small of Tony's back as he did up a burger for himself with the other, but no one commented on it.

They knew what happened down on the beach thanks to a spying Clint, and that Tony had told Steve he wasn't sure about it, about the idea of them, that he wanted it, but couldn't trust it. And how Steve told him, that before this vacation was over, he'd prove how serious he was.

"So what happened?" Tony asked, subtly pushing back into the warmth of Steve's hand, enjoying the touch.

"My brother found out he was adopted" Thor answered sullenly, barely touching his food, Tony stared at him in surprise, "it was a shock to us too" Rhodey announced, spooning some relish into his hotdog bun.

"So where is he?" Tony asked, glancing around for any sign of the guy in question, "who knows? He took off after confronting Thor, we haven't seen or heard from him since, and he left his phone behind." Bucky answered, frowning just a tad worriedly at the front door.

"We should leave him alone a bit longer" Bruce spoke up, looking up from his meal, Natasha nodded beside him, "Loki has just suffered a massive shock, he just needs time alone to sort it out" she agreed.

"Not too long though, this place can get a little dangerous at night, people out doing stupid shit, and the crime rate here might not be that high, I think it's only 6.5% but muggings still do happen, and he's not the most intimidating looking person around."

"What do you suggest?" Thor asked, now worried for his brother's safety more than ever. Tony shrugged, chewing and swallowing the bite of burger he'd taken, "if he's not back by midnight, we go out and look for him."

A few hours later found Tony sitting at the table in his work shop, he was tweaking his artificial intelligence project, it appeared the coding he wrote for it was a large success, and every day it got smarter and smarter, its vernacular improved by leaps and bounds and its ability to readily retrieve information had improved beyond Tony's initial expectations.

Previously taking several minutes to answer a question it now could retrieve relative information at a snap of Tony's fingers.

Tony looked up from a sensor he'd been fiddling with, an add-on for his artificial intelligence system, to see Steve standing on the other side of the glass door. Tony waved him in, greedily breathing in the scent of fresh coffee wafting from the mug Steve carried.

"Figured you could use a pick me up" Steve announced setting the mug on the table by Tony's hand, "thanks" Tony barely got out before grabbing the mug and drinking it in great gulps, not seeming to mind the burn of the hot liquid.

"How'd you know how I take my coffee?" Tony asked curiously, setting the empty mug aside, Steve just smiled, "my secret" he responded making Tony roll his eyes, "so listen to me for a second" Steve began as Tony went back to messing around with the sensor.

"I'm listening" Tony said not taking his eyes of the small innards of the sensor, beginning to gently rewire it.

"You don't work tomorrow right?" Tony nodded, "I was thinking we could check out that carnival that came to town today?"

Tony looked up, a piece of wire dangling from the forceps he's been using, "I'm sure everyone would like that" Steve sighed amusedly, "you're being purposely obtuse, I meant just you and me and you know that."

Tony smiled wryly, "Steve-" Steve held up a hand, rounding the table to face Tony fully, "Tony, this should not be so difficult; you want to be with me, I want to be with you, we want to be with each other, just give me a shot and let me take you out tomorrow."

Tony yanked the wire out of the sensor gently, placing it off to the side along with the forceps, "what about when you wake up and realize that I'm not what you want?" Steve groaned, "Why are you so convinced that's what's going to happen?" he asked.

"Logic," Tony answered, "you can't be straight your whole life Steve and suddenly decide to be with a man, I don't think it works like that."

Steve raised a brow, "when did you decide that you liked both genders?" Tony shrugged, "it was never a decision for me, I just always knew."

"Well I didn't always know," Steve placed his elbows on the table top, resting his chin in his hands and watching Tony intently, "I did some research, into the LGBTQ community, and there's tons of stories out there of people way older than us, that have lived their entire lives not realizing their orientation. One woman, got married had kids and then realized why she was so miserable with her life when she met another woman at a coffee shop. All it takes is meeting the right person, Tony."

"I don't disagree with that, but Steve this is different" Steve stood up gesturing wildly between himself and Tony, "how is this different?" he asked.

Tony stared up at Steve, "it's different because we're different. Because we want different things, if we tried and it works, or looks like it's working, I don't plan on moving back to New York, and I don't expect you to move here, can you handle that? You're a natural romantic Steve; can you handle a relationship where I'm not going to be physically there when you want me to be?"

"Is that what's really holding you back from this, fear of a little distance?" Steve asked incredulously, "Tony, you own a plane, it's not like we won't see each other at all, and I will gladly sit on a bus for however long it takes to come see you."

Tony sighed, "Words are easily spoken but not easily followed, you say you can handle the distance, I know I can handle the distance, but when it comes down to it, when you realize exactly how hard it's going to be, will you stay or walk away?"

They stared at each other for several long moments, a knock on the door startling them; they turned their heads to see Rhodey leaning into the room, hands on the door panels to stop himself from falling head first.

"It's going on 12:30; Loki still isn't back so we're going to look for him now." He said, a hint of concern in his voice, Steve nodded backing up from the table, waiting until Tony had put things way properly, before they followed Rhodey out, "hey" Steve said grabbing hold of Tony's arm gently as the smaller boy moved past him.

Tony didn't have time to react before Steve was pressing a soft, gentle kiss to his mouth, he pulled back staring down at Tony with such a soft expression it made Tony's heart ache, "I'm not giving up this easily" Steve warned releasing Tony's arm and leaving the room.

A/N: There's still some things our boys need to work out before Tony gets his head out of his ass, now where did Loki disappear too? And better question, is he safe and unharmed?


	23. Those We Understand

A/N: A heart to heart from two boys who come to realize family is more than just blood.

**Chapter 23: Those We Understand,**

The group headed out with flash lights and their phones, Bruce had volunteered to stay behind in case Loki came back while they were gone.

The rest split up, heading in different directions, Jane following Thor down to one of the beaches, while Clint and Natasha checked in every 24 hour shop they came across, Rhodey and Bucky checking the surrounding forestry with a strong caution to be careful of any wildlife.

And Steve checking main roads leading up to the house, Tony groaned, as he stopped to take a rest, he was tired and his foot was hurting from a bad slip he'd taken a short while ago.

"When we find this fucker, I'm kicking his ass" Tony whined, trudging along after a few minutes of rest. "Let's see, if I was Loki and I was angry, and hurt and didn't want to be around anyone, where would I go?" He asked himself aloud.

Tony paused, the answer coming to him in a flood, "fucking hell" he muttered turning around and heading back to the house.

The one place, in the immediate vicinity, that no one would go too, that was solitary and peaceful; Tony's private beach.

Tony headed down the pathway leading to his beach a while later, shining the light from his flash light up and down the expanse of the beach, he didn't think Loki would go too far, which left one other place he could be.

Tony's house was built upon a cliff side, the beach was to the far left it one was facing the front of the house, it took about five minutes to walk there from the house, just along the underside of the house, where cliff ended and beach began was a small little cave-like opening.

It was small enough that you wouldn't want to go too far in and risk getting stuck, but big enough that you could sit just on the inside and be completely out of view to anyone looking.

"I knew it'd be you" Tony nearly jumped out of his skin at the voice that echoed from the cave-like setting as he shined his light into it in hopes of seeing Loki.

The dark haired youth came climbing out of the cave, eyeing Tony up. He looked awful, face raw and red, hair wild, and heavy bags from exhaustion under his eyes.

"Have you been in there this entire time?" Tony asked, being careful not to shine the bright light into Loki's face.

Loki nodded, stepping further away from the cave and closer to Tony, "going to tell them?" Loki asked gesturing to Tony's phone, held in his hands in preparation to call the others to let them know he'd found Loki.

Tony looked down at the device, and then shook his head pocketing it, "later" he said gesturing for Loki to come join him as he sat down facing the horizon.

"I knew it'd be you" Loki repeated his earlier words, "well I am one smart cookie" Tony remarked, catching onto what Loki meant, that he knew that Tony would be the one to find him.

They sat in silence for several long minutes, watching the waves illuminated by the moon wash up against the shoreline.

"I don't talk to my parents" Tony suddenly began, stretching his legs out and leaning back on his elbows lounging on the sand.

"Howard wanted to have three kids, three kids to inherit the three different divisions of Stark Industries that he had expansion plans for, Maria was only ever able to have me."

Loki didn't say anything, letting Tony talk, "When the doctors told Howard that Maria could not safely bare another child, he went… I don't even know, I was so young at the time they were trying for another baby, and all I can remember is the angry shouting, Howard blaming Maria, and she just went catatonic for a while there."

Tony paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts, "I remember that Maria used to love me, that she'd hold me and talk to me, and praise me. And it was good; Howard never really paid attention to me at all, only when I did something out of the ordinary."

Tony chuckled sardonically, "it's all for naught, he started drinking heavily not long after they found out Maria couldn't get pregnant again, he was sad about it, and then he got angry about it, and he took that anger out on me."

Tony lay completely back on the sand, still warm from the day's sun, "I remember the first time he ever hit me, he was drunk and I needed help with some homework, and I went into his study and he got so angry at me for going in there that he slapped me right across the face."

Loki made an aborted sound of surprise, "Jarvis was the one that heard me yell, he came running and the look he gave Howard was the dirtiest look I'd ever seen a person give somebody, he took me upstairs to my room, and gave me an ice pack for my face, and helped me with my homework, that was the day I started thinking of Jarvis as dad."

Tony sighed, "it got worse, Maria started getting into all these medications and drinking just as bad as Howard, some days she wouldn't even recognize me, other days she'd go into a depressed rage and start throwing things around and breaking whatever shit she got her hands on."

Tony turned his head to look at Loki, "I learned quickly not to go near her when she was like that, have a nice scar on my back from where she threw a glass at me."

Tony sat up and lifted his shirt, showing Loki the surprisingly big scar, "how did a glass cause that?" Loki asked, eyes traveling over the expanse of the scar, "Pretty easy if the glass is already broken before you throw it."

Tony lowered his shirt, "Jarvis took care of me when I needed it, he made sure I was okay, he was my father in everything but blood, and I miss him, I'll miss him every day for the rest of my life."

"So what's your story, why so angry over this whole adoption thing?" Tony asked, watching Loki in interest.

"It's not being adopted that has me angry, it's that they hid it from me, like I was never supposed to know, just some dirty little secret they could hid and masquerade as something I'm not, to be given the title of family member but treated differently."

Tony nodded understandingly, "so let me ask, and be honest, I'm not here to cause shit, would growing up knowing that you were adopted, make anything better?"

Loki took several moments to answer, "No, it wouldn't have, I probably would've just resented them my entire life."

"But why the resentment? They took you in, gave you a home, cared for you, and loved you, why is that such a bad thing?" Loki sighed at the asked question, "I've always felt like I was second best to Thor, that they loved him more than they loved me, and now it feels like I know why, because I'm not biologically theirs."

Tony snorted, "Dude, they say friends are the family you pick for yourself, Jarvis is my dad, Rhodey is my brother, and you guys are like the annoying fucking cousins that run around constantly it's like trying to wrangle hyperactive puppies."

Loki cracked a small smile, "it's more than blood that makes you family, just because your mother didn't give birth to you, doesn't mean she doesn't love you, and just because your father never sired you, doesn't mean he doesn't love you, and just because Thor's not your biological brother, doesn't mean he doesn't love you. If you're hurting Loki, say something, don't keep that shit bottled up, believe me, I did that, and it festers and grows until you become overwhelmed by it, if something is bothering you, speak up, otherwise how will anyone know?"

Tony stood, shaking the sand off him, "So" Tony held out his hand, "ready to go face the music?" Loki nodded and accepted the hand up, following Tony up the path way back to the house as the smaller boy removed his phone from his pocket and sent out a quick text to let everyone know he'd found Loki and they were heading back to the house.

A/N: Nice little heart to heart there ^ ^


	24. Brothers

A/N: I'm honestly running out of shit to say here ^ ^ so here's a thank you to everyone who's read and liked this story, I know I've said it before, but I'm so happy you guys like it, and have stuck with it.

**Chapter 24: Brothers.**

The others had made it back to the house before they did, having not being able to find Loki, came back to regroup and come up with another plan, when they received Tony's text telling them he'd found the missing teen.

Tony opened the front door, stepping in, Loki close behind them, they removed their shoes and entered the open expanse of the living room/kitchen area, the others sat in various places, watching the two missing members from their group enter the house.

Loki sucked in a deep breath as he approached Thor, the much taller boy stood with his arms at his side, hands clenched tightly into fist, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Thor I…" Loki trailed off, not sure how to get the words in his head out of his mouth, Thor reached out and grabbed the front of Loki's shirt pulling him into his arms and simply holding him.

"Shall we…?" Tony started gesturing everybody to leave the two brothers alone to sort themselves out without an audience watching them. They cleared the room, going their separate ways, allowing the brothers a moment of privacy.

"Do you not realize how worried I have been?" Thor spoke softly, a rare occurrence for him, Loki slowly reached up, clinging to his brother's form, "I have some idea" he returned, they remained like that for a few minutes, until Thor finally released his grip.

"What were you thinking Loki?" he asked stepping back and moving to sit on the couch, Loki moving to sit on the couch across from him.

Loki made a discouraging sound, bowing his head to stare at the floor, "I…" he started, Tony's words from earlier replying in his mind.

"I have always felt like an outsider" he finally began, "I have always felt that my lot in life was to play second fiddle to you."

Loki took a stuttering breath, finally looking up to face his brother eye to eye, "I have always felt that mother and father loved you more than they loved me, and have always felt like I was the mistake they made."

Loki paused, "and then I got an email, from a man saying he was my father, and suddenly it all made sense. How do you face knowing that everything you lived was a lie? That you're not who you thought you were?"

Thor looked at his brother for several long moments, "no matter what has happened, or what will happen, you will always be my brother." Loki ignored the sting in his eyes of fresh tears, "how can you say that so assuredly?" He asked quietly.

"I can say it, because I feel it, here-" Thor placed a hand on his chest, directly over his heart, "what should it matter if we are related by blood or by circumstance? Yes, I've known for over a year that you were adopted, and it made no difference to me and that is why I never told you. Because it would not change anything, for the last several years you have been my brother, and that will continue to be true for many more years to come."

Thor sighed softly, standing and moving to kneel on the floor, grasping Loki's hands in his own, "trust in what you feel Loki, trust that blood matters not between us, we are family, we are brothers and that will never change."

Loki chuckled, "universal constant?" Thor frowned, "I do not know what that it" Loki laughed, "how do you date someone wanting to be a physicist and not know what a universal constant is?" Thor shrugged, smiling, happy to see his brother laugh.

"let's just say, it's something that always remains the same," Thor nodded smiling widely, "that sounds right, now then you've been missing all day, you must be hungry, we've saved you some dinner."

Thor helped Loki to his feet and they headed to the kitchen to get Loki the meal they saved for him, half an hour later found the two brothers preparing for bed, "you nearly broke that" Thor spoke into the silence, pointing to Loki's phone on the bed side table.

Loki picked the device up, watching the screen light up with several missed calls and unanswered texts, all from his parents.

"Mother was getting ready to fly out here herself" Thor said quietly, watching his brother flick through the messages, "father was seconds from calling the police, you should call them tomorrow, and let them know you're alright."

Loki nodded, replacing his phone on the night stand and finished dressing for bed, the next morning he apologized to everyone for his disappearance, he called his parents and had a lengthy tear filled conversation with them, their mother making him promise to never run off like that again.

Tony jumped at the unexpected knock on his workshop door, turning to see Thor standing patiently on the other side; Tony nodded his head, giving Thor permission to enter.

"I just wanted to thank you" Thor began, standing in the threshold of the door, "for finding him, and talking to him, he told me what you said and I will be forever grateful."

Tony smiled up at him from his position bent over the sensor he'd been working on the previous day, "no worries, glad you guys worked everything out, how is he doing?" Tony asked going back to work on the sensor.

"He's doing better, he is out on the beach with the others," Tony nodded, "good, his pale ass can use a little sun" Thor laughed, a loud booming sound that resonated in the work shop, "indeed, my brother has always been of the fairer complexion."

Thor turned to leave, "thank you Tony, for everything." Tony nodded, not knowing how to respond to the heartfelt thanks. Thor left, passing Steve on his way out, Thor cast Steve a knowing look, making Steve shrug and smile as he entered the workshop.

"It's not too late" he said announcing his presence, Tony looked up at him, "say what?" he asked turning down to look at the sensor again, "it's not too late, it's only 2 in the afternoon, we have all day."

Tony set aside the tools he'd been using and putting away the sensor, knowing he wouldn't get much further on it today, "let me guess, the carnival?" Steve nodded, "still going for that huh?"

"Stop deflecting Tony, do you want to go, or not?" Steve crossed his arms, staring down at Tony expectantly, "we won't be able to sneak out you know, they'll notice us leaving." Tony pointed out, standing and stretching out the kinks in his back and neck.

"Let them notice," Steve murmured, eyes dragging over Tony's form slowly, "this isn't a date," Tony said finally, walking towards the door, "this is….testing the waters." Steve laughed; following him out, waiting for the few seconds it took Tony to lock the door.

"I have a feeling we'll be swimming soon enough" he responded following Tony up the stairs.

A/N: We are so very, very close now! ^ ^


	25. I See You

A/N: This chapter, right here.

**Chapter 25: I See You.**

It'd been an eventful period of time since the group had arrived, the recent situation with Loki and the adoption, and the non-date at the carnival, which lead to many questions on where they'd gone, and a lament from Clint about how heartbroken he was that neither of them had invited him along.

They had a few more days left before the plane would be taking them back to New York, the time away from the hustle and bustle had brought the group closer together than they'd ever been before.

It was one of their final nights in California, and Steve found himself jolting awake from the sound of thunder, he slowly sat up in bed, gazing out the window and seeing the harsh patter of rain against the glass.

A slow, smile spread across his face as he climbed from the bed, careful not to wake Bucky who mumbled something about nachos and rolled over.

Steve laughed quietly at his friend, dressing quickly and silently leaving the room, then the house altogether. He made his way to the path that lead down to the beach, getting drenched as he went.

When he finally came out on the wet sand he was completely soaked through, hair turning a darker shade of blond and sticking to his head. He glanced around; looking for the figure he knew would be there.

Lightning struck in the distance, illuminating the beach in a flash and there he was standing with raised arms welcoming the rush of warm rain fall.

Tony was dressed in one of his undershirts and pair of shorts, he was bare foot, laughing as the rain dropped down, arms out and spinning wildly, kicking up wet sand as he went.

"Hey!" Steve called over the sounds of the summer storm; Tony stopped his movements and turned to look at Steve who was moving rapidly towards him.

"What are you doing out here?" Tony asked as Steve approached, "thunder woke me up, and I knew you'd be out here so I came down to see you."

Tony laughed, "how about it Captain? Ever danced in the rain?" he asked swinging his hips, enjoying the rain fall. "I told you, the best I can do is hold on and sway" Steve answered watching Tony's movements.

The storm began to taper out, going from full force thunder and lightning to a gentler fall, "Tony" Steve began, as Tony walked back over to him from the distance he'd gone with his movements, Tony looked up at Steve expectantly, privately admiring the view of Steve's wet, white shirt clinging to his body.

"Yes?" Tony answered, moving his gaze back up to Steve's face, "let's try" Steve returned, a bare whisper, "Steve…" Steve shook his head, "what's stopping you Tony?" He asked, grasping Tony's face in his hand, staring into his imploringly.

They remained like that for a long while, "I'm afraid" Tony finally admitted, if a little shamefully, "you don't have to be" Steve responded, gently running his thumb over Tony's cheek, "yes I do" Tony began, "I am terrified, that one day, you'll open your eyes and realize that this isn't what you want, that this was just an experimental phase for you and I don't know how I'll cope with that."

Steve took a moment to allow the words to sink in, "alright" he said releasing Tony's face, and the surprising him be dropping to his knees, "this is my promise to you." Steve started; he reached for Tony's hands, clasping them firmly in his own.

"Take a chance on me, and I promise that I will never hide anything from you, if a day comes where I wake up with doubts about what this is, I promise to talk to you about it. Take a chance on me, and I promise that I will never intentionally hurt you, because let's face it, you said it; we are different people, we are going to butt heads and we are going to fight at times."

Tony laughed, not really sure this was happening, "take a chance on me Tony and I promise that I will always be by your side, that I will never do anything to make you doubt me, just take a chance on me and let's find out together, where this road goes."

How do you say no to that? Tony thought, he nodded, "I promise all of the above to you too" Tony said, and though he shouldn't have been, he was still caught by surprise when Steve stood, grabbing him by the waist and heaving him up into a solid embrace, before placing him back on his feet and then catching in his mouth in a kiss far passionate than any of the others they shared.

They stayed out on the beach until the rain had completely died down, it was barely misting before they made their way back to the house, "floors are going to be a bitch to clean later" Tony commented as he saw the trail of wet sand they dragged into the house behind them, "I'll help" Steve promised, leaning down to press another kiss to Tony's mouth.

"You seem to enjoy doing that" Tony said as they broke apart, "kidding me? I finally got you to say yes, I get to kiss you whenever I want now" Tony laughed, slapping a hand over his mouth as the sound echoed in the silent house.

"See you in the morning," Tony said, dropping his hand from his mouth and standing on the tips of his toes, head tilted expectantly upward, Steve leant down again, pressing a gentle kiss to the waiting mouth.

The others knew immediately something had shifted between them in the morning, when they'd gathered for breakfast, Tony and Steve seemed to be more touchy with each other, exchanging looks that had the others staring at them questionably.

"Shit!" Clint suddenly hollered, nearly dropping his coffee mug, eyes turning to him surprised at his outburst, "its official isn't it? You guys are finally together!"

Heads instantly turned to Steve and Tony, Steve flushed, and Tony grinned, "when did that happen?!" Clint shouted excitedly, "last night" Steve muttered, Rhodey laughed getting up and hugging Tony, "I am so going to be unbearable about this" Tony groaned, "thanks Rhodey," he deadpanned making his friend chuckle.

"Attention everyone!" Bucky called, standing up and shifting to clasp Steve's shoulder in his grasp, "I would just like to take this moment, to say something, months in the making"

Everyone's attention was on Bucky as he held up his coffee mug in a mock toast, "first, we all saw this coming long before either of these two did" Bucky winked at Steve, "so I would just like to say-" Bucky tilted his head to look at Steve.

"Steve…" Bucky gripped Steve's shoulder tightly, giving him a slight shake, "I fucking told you so" everyone burst into laughter as Steve shook his head, "you just couldn't resist could you?" He asked laughing. Bucky grasped his side from the laughter, "nope, could not one bit."

There was a round of good natured laughter, when it settled, Tony fixed his gaze on two of their group "So I've been meaning to ask you guys" Tony started, leaning on the kitchen island and eyeing Bruce and Natasha up, "since we're on the topic of relationships, are you guys banging?"

Bruce ducked his head bashfully, while Natasha simply raised a brow, "fuck me, you guys totally are! That's why you've been practically inseparable this entire trip!" Bucky announced pointing an accusing finger their way.

"Please, don't tell me if you've guys have boned on my couch, because I happen to really like that couch" Tony grumbled pleadingly. "We haven't done anything in any unacceptable places, but you may want to give the recliner in the rec room a wipe down." Natasha smirked.

Tony whined, displeased, "how about you give the recliner a wipe down and we never speak of this again?" he suggested glaring at the red head. Natasha shrugged, "if that's the way you want to play."

The group shared another laugh, enjoying the feeling that came with being with the people you love.

A/N: Finally!


	26. So Long And Farewell

A/N: Nearly at the end.

**Chapter 26: So Long and Farewell.**

While none of them could say the trip out to California was life changing, they could all agree that things had changed, Bucky was the most relaxed he'd been in years, Clint and Rhodey had become the best of friends, Bruce and Natasha were more open about their relationship, and Jane had a talk with Loki, assuring him that she could never steal Thor away from him, and that she loved him just as she would love a brother.

Thor and Loki themselves seemed closer after their family ordeal, realizing that family is more than just the blood you share; it's the way you love someone. As for Steve and Tony, well they were a classic example of not knowing what you're missing until you finally got it.

"Dude, you'll totally have to come back to New York sometime," Clint was saying as they gathered on the drive way of Tony's house, he gave Rhodey a one armed hug, speaking to the boy as the rest brought out their luggage to the waiting taxis.

"Oh don't you worry, I will" Rhodey laughed, returning the hug, Clint moved to Tony next, "you're an awesome dude Stark" Tony smiled, "about time you realized this" he joked, "take care of yourself man, let me know when you finish that project, and thanks for having us over, sorry for all the drama."

Tony laughed, "I will and you're welcome" Tony and Clint shared a quick hug before Clint moved aside, "it was nice down here, I'm going to miss it" Jane started, wrapping her arms around Tony tightly, "it was nice having you here" Tony admitted, not believing that he'd enjoy so many people in his space until it actually happened.

"Take care Tony, and thanks again" Tony nodded waving her off as she said her goodbyes to Rhodey, Bruce and Natasha joined him together, thanking him for the time they had down there, "it was nice, relaxing," Bruce said taking in the sight of the beautiful house one last time.

"Sorry for the recliner" Natasha smirked, "yea yea, I'll just send you the cleaning bill" Tony grumbled pulling the red head into his arm, "see you around Tony" she said pulling away from the embrace. Tony watched as they made their way to Rhodey for his good bye.

"Thank you" Tony turned to Loki and Thor, Loki had the barest of smiles while Thor was beaming, "for everything, we owe you a lot" Tony shook his head, "you don't owe me anything, if you must do something, just take care of each other and never forget what family really means"

They agreed, Thor grasping Tony into a tight hug that lifted the smaller boy off his feet, he waved to them as they left, having already said goodbye to Rhodey, they climbed into the taxi, waiting for the others.

"Well, I'm not going to hug you" Bucky said as he approached Tony, Tony sighed relieved, "thank God for small favors" he said, Bucky chuckled, reaching out to put a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"But I will say this, I was wrong. You're an incredible person, and I'm sorry for everything that happened before. I'm sorry for making you feel that you were worthless, you're worth so much more than what you believe."

Tony swallowed thickly, reaching up to rest a hand over Bucky's, "thank you that means a lot to me." Bucky nodded, squeezing Tony's shoulder before letting go and moving to walk away, "not saying bye?" Tony asked curiously, Bucky laughed, "Nope. Goodbye is something you say to someone you'll never see again, this isn't goodbye, just…See you later."

Tony was still grinning when Steve came walking slowly up to him, he gazed down at Tony with a fond look in his eyes, "so we're agreed, you'll come spend a week in August with me?" Tony nodded reaching out to take hold of Steve's hand.

"And I'll see you for thanksgiving, and you'll come spend the week of New Year's here," Steve gripped Tony's hand tightly, "is it weird that I don't want to leave just yet?" Tony smiled up at his towering new boyfriend, and wow that word still made him pause every now and then.

"Not weird at all, but hey, we'll see each other again soon enough, but not soon enough, and we'll call and skype, keep ourselves busy and time will fly."

Steve nodded, bending down to give Tony a lingering kiss, ignoring the cat calls that erupted from their friends as he brought his arms up to wrap around Tony's waist, pulling him closer. Sighing into the kiss when Tony's arms threaded around his neck.

They finally parted, Steve lingeringly holding onto Tony's hand as he began to walk away, climbing into the taxi and never once taking his eyes off him as the van began to pull away.

A few weeks later found Steve calling Tony on skype, laughing when the other boy answered looking completely disheveled, "busy?" Steve asked by way of greeting.

Tony shook his head, "just got into a fight with DUM-E, he won't let me debug him and he keeps glitching out and rolling into the wall."

Steve laughed louder, "I can only imagine what you're going through" Tony ran a hand through his hair, attempting to control the fly away strands before giving up with a sigh.

"I miss you" Steve murmured, smiling at the flush on Tony's cheeks at the comment, "just wanted to confirm our plans," Tony laughed, "you know if you keep expecting things to go wrong, they will."

Steve shrugged, "I know, but for my peace of mind," Tony rolled his eyes affectionately, "my plane will land tomorrow afternoon at one, you'll be picking me up from the airport, and I will spend the week sleeping on your couch, after a tense meet and greet with your mom."

"She's going to love you Tony, don't worry." Steve assured, "I can't help but worry there Steve!" Tony whined.

"Once she meets you, she'll love you, and…. I already told her about us." Steve grinned, "oh wow, and how did she take it?" Steve grinned wider, "pretty good, says that we are exactly the way we're meant to be, and she's looking forward to meeting you."

Tony sighed, a bit relieved, "I'll take your word for it" he said settling in for a long conversation. They stayed online, talking for hours until Steve noticed the time, "we should probably hang up now, it's nearly one in the morning and your flight leaves early."

Tony reluctantly agreed, "See you tomorrow" Steve smiled softly, "good night Tony. I'll see you tomorrow."

A/N: One more chapter to go.


	27. Still Room To Grow

A/N: This is it, the last chapter. Also, Quote belongs to Lilo &amp; Stitch, I don't own it.

**Chapter 27: Still Room To Grow.**

"There they are!" Clint hollered waving his arms wildly at the two forms approaching from the private landing strip. Steve grinned at the sight of his boyfriend as he dropped his rolling suitcase and began sprinting towards the group that waiting on the sidelines.

Steve hopped the short fence and ran out to meet him halfway, "you'd think they hadn't seen each other last week huh?" Bucky laughed watching Steve's fast practically glow from having Tony in his arms again.

"I still can't believe they made it this far." Natasha commented softly, it'd been almost a year since their trip to California, the distance at times had been difficult for Steve and Tony but they held strong, it was June, and they made it eleven months and counting.

It helped that Tony owned his own plane and made it a point to try and visit as often as he could, and Steve had spent the latter half of Christmas break down in California with him, not to mention that year's sports tournament, and now that graduation was upon them, Tony and Rhodey had come to watch the ceremonies.

The group had actually only been back a mere five days from going to Tony and Rhodey's own graduation, Tony surprisingly giving a heartfelt speech as he made valedictorian.

Steve and Tony came walking back up to the group followed shortly by Rhodey who stared blankly at Tony holding out the handle to his suitcase, "really man? Just going to leave this behind?" Tony laughed, "Sorry Rhodey, thanks honey bear."

Rhodey rolled his eyes fondly at his friend before getting swept up by the others, all talking loudly as hugs were passed around, "we have dinner plans tonight!" Clint said excitedly, "we're going to this nice sports bar and grill place on 39th, you guys will love it."

"Why dinner tonight, why not Friday when you guys actually graduate?" Tony asked as the group headed through the main airport building and to the nearest subway entrance.

"We decided we're doing it twice, today to welcome you guys back to New York, and Friday when we get released from the bonds of hell!" Clint was fairly dramatic as he said it, making the group laugh.

Rhodey was staying with Clint while Tony was bunking down with Steve, after a couple of stops to drop off their luggage and a quick change of clothes the group was ready to head for dinner.

Dinner was a rowdy affair, they were loud and enjoying each other's company and amusing the waitresses with their banter.

Soon Friday approached, and Tony found himself walking the hallways of his old school, memories assaulting him, but it was okay now, that's all they were, just memories, and they couldn't hurt him anymore.

He had friends, family he made for himself, and he had a magnificent boyfriend, he was happy. "Tones?" Tony nodded his head at Rhodey, following his best friend to the gymnasium where the graduation ceremony was taking place.

He sat in his plastic chair in-between Rhodey and Sarah, Steve's mom. Jane and Bruce we're co-valedictorians and they made a beautiful speech together, it reduced Bruce's mother to tears. Soon student after student made their way across the stage as their names we're called, then at long last "Robert Banner" there was an outrageous cheer from Tony and Rhodey, making Bruce duck his head blushing brightly.

Not even a minutes later "James Barnes" he gave a cocky grin as he made his way across the stage to the loud hollering of his friends, a few minutes later "Clinton Barton" "not the full name!" Clint whined agonizingly as he collected his diploma, holding it up to the audience, "hey mom, look what I got!" he shouted gleefully, making his mother roll her eyes and laugh.

"Jane Foster" she received the same treatment of loud cheers, "Thor Odinson" the tall man practically bounced excitedly along the stage, grinning in self-pride at his accomplishment. "Loki Odinson" Loki made his way much more reservedly to collect his diploma, pausing on the steps when a he caught sight of his father, the large Viking like man clapping with a look of such pride, Tony knew how much it meant for Loki to see it.

"Steven Rogers" Tony was practically on his feet he was cheering so loud, "Love you babe!" Steve called out, pointed at Tony with his diploma, making the smaller boy laugh as the majority of the audience let out coos.

"Natasha Romanoff" she was the last of their friends, smiling openly at the loud cheers and whistles as she collected her diploma.

The ceremony wrapped up not long after, and the group headed to dinner, their parents joining them. There was so many of them they'd ended up taking over half the restaurant.

Half way through dinner, Tony stood clinking his glass gently, "since we all know I like to do things over the top, I'd like to propose a toast." The table quieted, giving Tony their undivided attention, "It's been several years since we've all met," Tony started waving his glass around to encompass the whole table, "We've had our ups and downs, our good times and bad, and a hell of a lot of drama to go with it."

The gathered friends let out small chuckles, "but here we are, our friendships stronger than ever, we've grown so much and I don't know about you guys, but I am personally grateful to know each and every single one of you. You guys, right here, make life worth living, and I know that no matter where the roads in life take us, we'll always find each other right here, we're more than just friends now; we're family. To quote a favorite movie of mine; Ohana, Ohana means family, and family means…"

"No one gets left behind!" The friends responded as one, Tony nodded, "or forgotten, so here's to us, to all of us" he said raising his glass and purposely including the parents in the toast.

"Here's to what we've lost and gained, to what's behind us and to what's in front of us, we still have a long way to go, and we still have room to grow."

A/N: The end….

I am in the midst of writing one shots to fill in the missing blanks of the story line, and also A SEQUEL!

^ ^ if you've enjoyed this and wish to continue on Steve and Tony's relationship journey then keep your eyes peeled for the sequel titled Growth Spurts!

Thanks again to all who stuck with this story; I hope it was as much for you to read as it was for me to write! Peace out! – DayDreamsAndStarLights.


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